Where can I watch Rugby Union in the UK?

Key takeaways

• Rugby Union is shown live on TNT Sports, Premier Sports and Sky Sports. You can also watch live matches from the Six Nations on the BBC and ITV

• Club tournaments, such as the Premiership and Premiership Women’s Rugby, are shown on TNT Sports, as well as the Autumn Nations internationals until 2024

• Premier Sports offers the Champions Cup, United Rugby Championship and Top14

• Sky Sports will show British and Irish Lions matches in summer 2025

• BBC Wales shows Scrum V for live matches and highlights from Welsh clubs

Where can I watch live rugby union?

Rugby Union is shown live across a number of paid-for services, as well as on terrestrial TV. For casual fans, the Six Nations is shown every year on the BBC and ITV, with the broadcasters splitting matches.

ITV has coverage of two-thirds of all matches in the championship. Remember that you will need to have a TV licence to watch on BBC or ITV.

For Premiership matches you’ll need access to TNT Sports, while the elite European Champions Cup is shown on Premier Sports, alongside the United Rugby Championship and France’s Top 14 tournament. The Champions Cup has finished for 2025.

TNT Sports screens the Autumn Nations series, when southern hemisphere countries tour Europe. This will be replaced in 2026 with a new Nations Championship, which will take place on a bi-annual basis. Sky Sports, meanwhile, will show all matches in this year’s British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.

What rugby matches are available on TNT Sports?

TNT Sports is showing 93 matches throughout the 2024/5 Premiership season. This includes matches every week, as well as the Premiership play-offs and final, which is due to take place on 14th June. TNT has struck a deal to show Premiership games until the end of the 2030/1 season.

Additionally, TNT Sports shows one Women’s Premiership match every weekend, as well as the Women’s Premiership play-offs and final.

TNT Sports is also scheduled to show the Autumn Nations series in 2025.

What rugby matches are available on Sky Sports?

Sky Sports will show every match from the British and Irish Lions’ Tour of Australia, which runs from 28 June to 2 August 2025.

This includes all three tests against Australia, as well as every warm-up match. There will be nine matches shown in total.

What rugby matches are available on Premier Sports?

Premier Sports is the streaming service for every true rugby fanatic. It shows matches from the United Rugby Championship, as well as the Champions Cup, Challenge Cup and France’s Top14.

This includes all 63 Champions Cup games and over 110 Top14 games, making it the best way to get your rugby fix.

What matches are available on terrestrial TV?

For those who want to watch rugby on terrestrial TV, you can catch every Six Nations match on the BBC and ITV.

ITV has the bulk of the games, but as long as you have a TV licence you won’t miss a minute and won’t need to pay a penny either.

ITV also shows the Rugby World Cup, the next edition of which takes place in Australia in 2027.

BBC Two Wales also screens occasional live URC matches involving Welsh sides, as well as a regular highlights and analysis show.

How much does a TNT Sports package cost?

TNT Sports costs just £20 a month if you’re an existing BT/EE TV customer.

If you’re a Sky customer, you’ll need to pay £30 a month on top of your subscription and get access to all four TNT Sports channels and access to its Premiership and international coverage.

The other way is to pay £30.99 a month for a Discovery+ subscription via your smart TV or smart stick or set top box.

This can be cancelled at any time and means you can drop in and out depending on whether the season is over or there are games you don’t want to watch.

You’re likely to find it more cost effective to take out a broadband and TV package which includes TNT Sports.

How much does a Sky Sports package cost?

Existing Sky customers can get Sky Sports’ 12 channels for £22 a month on a 24 month contract, including this year’s British and Irish Lions tour.

The other option is to bundle Sky Sports with a broadband and TV package. You can get fibre broadband and Sky Sports for £59.99 a month, as well as pay as you go landline calls and a host of other Sky channels.

To add TNT Sports to a Sky plan it will cost £30, or you can choose to bundle Sky Sports with the EE Big Sport package for £79.99 a month, including broadband.

If you only want to watch the Lions tour, then your best bet is a NOW Sports pass, which costs £34.99 a month and can be cancelled at any time.

How much does a Premier Sports package cost?

The cost of Premier Sports varies depending on the TV subscription you have.

Sky customers can access Premier Sports £10.99 a month with a minimum 12 month term; £15.99 a month on a rolling 30 day contract; or £120 for an annual subscription

Virgin Media customers can get Premier Sports for £15.99 a month

Prime Video customers can get Premier Sports for £15.99 a month but must have an existing Prime subscription

Alternatively, you can stream online and via the Premier Sports app for £10.99 a month with a minimum 12 month term; £15.99 a month on a rolling 30 day contract; or £120 for an annual subscription

Is it cheaper to buy a sports package bundled with TV and broadband?

In general, broadband and TV packages that come with sports packages are cheaper, especially if you want to watch every single rugby match going.

You’ll pay £79.99 for an EE TV and broadband deal with EE’s Big Sport, which includes all TNT Sports and Sky Sports channels, as well as fibre optic broadband and a landline. This is more cost effective than paying for separate services.

Remember that you’ll still need to pay separately for Premier Sports.

Where can I watch rugby highlights for free?

You can watch free rugby union highlights on the TNT Sports and Premier Sports official YouTube channels.

Scrum V in Wales also shows free highlights of selected games, while you’ll be able to watch full Six Nations highlights on the BBC and ITV.

Six Nations rugby fixtures on TV

The Six Nations will resume on 5 February 2026.

British and Irish Lions fixtures on TV

Champions Cup and Premiership fixtures

The Champions Cup will resume next season. The 2025 edition was won by Bordeaux Begles. ​