A place in the semi-finals is at stake. Whatever happens in Wollongong, the losers know their tournament is over.
Watch England v Papua New Guinea as Brian McDermott’s men play their final Rugby League World Cup pool match knowing that even victory may not be enough to take them through to the knockout stages.
– Date: Friday 30 October, 2026
– Kick-off time: 9.05am GMT / 8.05pm AEDT (local) / 10.05pm NZDT / 5.05am EDT / 2.05pm PDT
– Free streams: 7 Plus (Australia)
– Other live streams: Premier Sports (UK, Ireland, US), Sky Sport (New Zealand)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
England’s opening weekend defeat to Tonga has left them very little wiggle room in Wollongong. Anything other than a win will send them home early, though the complicated permutations of pools B and C mean that progression is not in their hands.
Even if they score a big win against Papua New Guinea, they need Tonga to do them a favour on Sunday by beating Samoa. Should Samoa, one of the outstanding team’s of the tournament, win that crunch match, England will be packing their bags and catching the next flight home.
Papua New Guinea are still fighting for their own progression in the tournament, though their negative points difference means they arguably need even more of a miracle. On top of a big win over England, they’d need Samoa to thrash Tonga to book their own place in the semi-finals. Nobody can say there isn’t plenty to play for…
Read on to find out everything you need to know to watch England v Papua New Guinea online, on TV and from anywhere – including options to watch for free in Australia. Scroll down to the end of the article for the team line-ups.
Can I watch England v Papua New Guinea for free?
Rugby league fans in Australia can watch England v Papua New Guinea – along with every other match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup – for free on Seven and its 7plus streaming service. Be aware, though, that you will need your email address in order to create your free account.
The good news for Aussies travelling overseas right now is that you can still access your usual free 7plus service by using a VPN to avoid geo-blocking restrictions that might otherwise get in the way. Read on to find out more.
Other ways to watch England v Papua New Guinea
United Kingdom
Premier Sports is showing England v Papua New Guinea live streams in the UK, as is the case for every Rugby League World Cup 2026 match.
For UK viewers an online subscription to Premier Sports costs £18.99 a month on a rolling basis, £13.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £150 a year (£12.50 per month) if you pay up front. The service works across a variety of apps and devices.
You can also tune into Premier Sports on your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player and Virgin Media. The rolling monthly cost is, again, £18.99 though other deals are available on certain platforms.
Ireland
Premier Sports is also the destination in Ireland for that England v Papua New Guinea live stream. Sky Sports subscribers can add Premier Sports to their service as part of the Sports Extra pack (which also includes TNT Sports). This costs €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months.
Premier Sports is also available with a Now Sports Extra membership (day and month memberships are available from €11.99 per month), and through Virgin Media – check the provider’s website for details.
New Zealand
Sky Sport NZ is the place to go to watch every Rugby League World Cup match in New Zealand. Sky Sport Now subscriptions are available for $29.99 per day, $59.99 per month or $549.99 per year.
United States
Rugby league fans in the US need to head for Premier Sports to watch England v Papua New Guinea live streams. A RLWC26 Pass, which gives you access to all 53 games of the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments, costs $25.
Around the world
If you’re tuning in from another country, Premier Sports is also the most likely home of an England v Papua New Guinea live stream, as the provider holds Rugby League World Cup 2026 rights in over 120 countries. Prices vary by region.
How to watch England v Papua New Guinea from anywhere
Being away from home doesn’t have to stop you watching England v Papua New Guinea live streams. A VPN bypasses geo-blocking by changing your IP address, letting you stream the game as if you were at home.
The tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide rank NordVPN as world number one, thanks to its low price and unrivalled ability to unblock streaming services.
England v Papua New Guinea line-ups
England
1. AJ Brimson
2. Dominic Young
3. Hugo Savala
4. Herbie Farnworth
5. Matty Ashton
6. George Williams (captain)
7. Harry Smith
8. Max King
9. Jez Litten
10. Luke Thompson
11. Junior Nsemba
12. Kai Pearce-Paul
13. Morgan Knowles
Interchange:
14. Mikey Lewis
15. Sam Walters
16. Ethan Havard
20. Brad O’Neill
21. Zack Eckersley
22. Kallum Watkins
Papua New Guinea
1. Zac Laybutt
2. Robert Derby
3. Josh Feledy
4. Nene Macdonald
5. Dudley Dotoi
6. Gairo Voro
7. Bailey Biondi-Odo
8. Epel Kapinias
13. Liam Horne
10. Luca Moretti
11. Rhyse Martin (captain)
12. Nixon Putt
18. Valentine Richard
Interchange:
14. Finley Glare
15. Jacob Taulani
16. Robert Mathias
17. Sanny Wabo
19. Zev John
21. Rodrick Tai
Officials
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch judges: Dave Munro, Drew Oultram
Senior review official: Todd Smith
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