September is a big month for rugby fans because the new world cup is starting. On September 8th, people around the globe will be able to enjoy the Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream and experience some of the fiercest, most intense matches.
Hosted in France, the Rugby World Cup 2024 will see France, New Zealand, Japan, England, Ireland, and many other countries battle it out to the top spot. In 2019, South Africa took the crown of the champion, so it’s one of the overall favorites. However, England, New Zealand, and France must not be forgotten.
All of them will make the Rugby World Cup 2024 interesting, as long as you can watch it. And since you’re reading this article, you most likely struggle with this feat. Don’t worry! You can now unblock and stream the Rugby World Cup online on a free channel by following a simple trick.
We’ll explain everything as we go and present you with a REALLY FREE channel that streams this event. However, all we require is for you to keep reading.
Which Free Channel is Broadcasting the Rugby World Cup Live?
Our team spent quite a bit of time researching this subject matter. We wanted a 100% free channel that streams the Rugby World Cup 2024 from start to finish, all while offering amazing footage quality with English commentary. Well, what if we told you we found two amazing channels?
The first channel that lets you watch the Rugby World Cup 2024 online for free is ITV. ITV is a famous channel from the UK, which lets you watch a variety of sports streams, shows, and movies. This channel has the right to broadcast in the UK only, so people abroad won’t be able to access it.
Another channel for this purpose is 9Now. We’ve talked about it many times (as for example in our article explaining how to watch the US Open tennis tournament) but 9Now is an Australian channel, which also has plenty of content, including sports live streams, entertainment programs, and series. As it’s from Australia, you can also expect a geo-restriction.
When trying to watch ITV, our team gets the error message from above. As you can see, it’s a geo-block message that prevents us from watching it. But then, what’s the point? If these free channels stream the Rugby World Cup 2024 live and I can’t access them, what can I do?
Well, the trick is simple and revolves around altering your IP address to the country in which one or the other channel works. For today’s tutorial, we’ll focus on ITV but rest assured, you can also unblock 9Now using the exact same trick that we’ll show today.
How to Watch the Rugby World Cup 2024 Online for FREE?
To be able to stream the Rugby World Cup 2024 live, you’ll need to unblock these channels with the help of a VPN. This service is great for ensuring your online privacy through encryption and advanced security features. However, it works primarily by encrypting your traffic via a secure tunnel.
Basically, it connects you to a remote VPN server located in another country. Your traffic is then routed through that server and you get an IP address from it. If a server is in the UK, you’ll have an IP from the United Kingdom, which will allow you to access ITV/ITVX.
Another case would see you get an IP from Australia, for example. In this case, you can access and watch 9Now where the Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream is available too. Not every VPN will work, though, and you need a provider with excellent unblocking capabilities.
On top of that, the VPN you choose will need to have unlimited bandwdith and fast speeds for streaming. For today’s purpose, we’ve chosen ExpressVPN, as it easily fulfills the criteria we mentioned. Let’s see how to use it to stream this event live for free, from start to finish.
1. Subscribe to ExpressVPN
We know what you’ll say – ExpressVPN isn’t free and 01net is lying to us. Well, that’s not entirely true. While ExpressVPN offers a 49% discount and 3 free months for the 12-month plan, it also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans.
If you’re interested, this deal can be claimed below where you can save a ton of money on the best VPN for the Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream. That’s not all. You can even get a refund in the first 30 days of your purchase and get your money back, making it as if you haven’t paid at all.
Getting a full refund means you didn’t lose any money – right? Regardless, to get ExpressVPN, click the button above, select the plan, and enter your email address. Once you complete the payment, create a secure password and verify your account through email.
2. Install ExpressVPN
You’ll now be able to install ExpressVPN on your device. The trick that we’re showing works on every device and ExpressVPN offers identical apps for all of them. We’ll use Windows but you can do the trick on your iPhone, Android phone, Linux, macOS, or even Smart TV.
On Windows, download the setup file from ExpressVPN’s site and install it. From here, open the application and then enter the credentials you provided in Step 1.
The dashboard of ExpressVPN on Windows is on the left, while the iOS (Android) dashboard is on the right. As you can see, we’re talking about identical apps – the VPN is the same on Android Smart TV too!
3. Connect to a Server in the UK
Okay, so now, it’s time to get a UK IP address. We recommend using ITV to watch the Rugby World Cup live stream but you can go for 9Now if you want. In that case, you’ll need to get an Australian IP address. Nevertheless, to change your IP, open the server list.
You can do so by clicking on the three horizontal dots under “Selected Location.” Now, click on All Locations and select Europe. The UK should be right at the top, so double-click on it to connect to that server location. On iOS/Android, tap once and confirm the VPN connection in Settings.
ExpressVPN’s upper portion of the app should turn green, indicating a successful connection.
4. Create a Free Account on ITV
It’s time to go on ITV now and make a free account. This step takes a minute or two, as you need to enter your email and password, plus verify your account through email again. If you have a UK IP address, this won’t be an issue, as the site won’t notice your real location thanks to ExpressVPN’s encryption.
5. Watch the Rugby World Cup Live Stream on a Free TV Channel
So now, you know what you have to do. The Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream starts on September 8th at 8 PM (BST), so at this moment, you should already have a beer in hand, ready to watch the event.
Once this day comes, go to ITV using ExpressVPN, click on ITVX, and once you find the stream, click on Watch Live. It should work flawlessly, letting you enjoy a fierce match between France and New Zealand on the very first day!
Best VPNs to Watch the Rugby World Cup 2024 Live
Despite being a free channel, ITVX is very capable of detecting VPN users. The same could be said about BBC iPlayer, which is incredibly hard to unblock by many VPNs. For this reason, we prepared the top 3 VPNs for ITV to watch the Rugby World Cup 2024 online without problems.
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
8 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
12000 servers
100 covered countries
45 days money-back guarantee
7 simultaneous connections
9.2 /10
6300 servers
111 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.8 /10
1. ExpressVPN
We chose ExpressVPN as the #1 provider for obvious reasons. It works with ITVX, offers unlimited traffic, and is extremely fast. Its Lightway VPN protocol does wonders for the provider’s performance, making it the ultimate streaming VPN for any condition.
If you want, you can even use it to watch Netflix and enjoy popular movies and shows on Disney+. Moreover, the service is very user-friendly, and even total newbies will get a hang of it pretty soon. ExpressVPN has 3,000+ servers in 94 countries – an impressive stat.
These servers are based on RAM, which ensures no data is stored on them for longer than it’s needed. P2P is also possible with ExpressVPN, while features like AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and superb IPv6 leak protection will keep all activities anonymous.
Streaming the Rugby World Cup live on a free channel is easy with ExpressVPN. Aside from being reliable in terms of performance, it also offers a no-logging policy with audits from PwC, Cure53, and KPMG. This means it really stores no logs of your online whereabouts.
ExpressVPN supports 5 concurrent connections per subscription. This allows you to protect 5 devices at the same time and watch this event on all of them without spending additional money. Another impressive feature is 24/7 live chat support that works like a charm.
It’s helpful and ready to tackle your questions and issues. All in all, you’ll enjoy this VPN fully and be thankful for its ability to unblock a plethora of streaming services. Get it now and let the entire Rugby World Cup live stream unfold right before your eyes, no matter your location!
Watch Rugby World Cup [year] With ExpressVPN
Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth for streaming
- 5 simultaneous connections
- Lightway VPN protocol
- Audited by PwC, KPMG, and Cure53
- 24/7 live chat support
Con
- It’s not the most affordable VPN
2. CyberGhost
Speaking of streaming VPNs, CyberGhost is a textbook example of one of them. With 9,500 servers in 91+ countries, this VPN even has special streaming servers on the list. On top of that, they’re optimized for a boatload of channels and services that people usually seek to unblock.
There are Australian servers for unblocking 9Now but also a special ITV server in the UK. This makes it an excellent choice for unblocking a free channel broadcasting the Rugby World Cup.
Just connect to it, go to ITV, and enjoy some rugby madness! CyberGhost’s WireGuard protocol ramps up the performance, and thanks to 10+ Gbps servers, the speeds you’ll get are neck-breaking.
This allows you to stream in the highest possible resolution without throttling or buffering. We’d also like to mention CyberGhost’s inclusion of an ad blocker, which is indeed capable. This ad blocker combined with a VPN will clear the pages of unnecessary clutter, giving shorter loading times.
The provider sports a no-logs policy as well and with an audit from Deloitte, you can be sure no personal data is stored on the servers. It possesses DNS leak protection that works well with its AES-256 encryption and a kill switch – an ultimate solution for total privacy.
In fact, CyberGhost is extremely affordable too, so people with shallow pockets are welcome. It comes with a 2-year plan at under $2.5 a month plus a 45-day money-back guarantee for plans longer than a month! You can basically enjoy the entire event and get a refund afterward, not losing any money!
And you know what? You also get 7 simultaneous connections, which is as amazing as it sounds. As a result, you can share your subscription with multiple devices or family members and all of you can watch the Rugby World Cup 2024 live for free online!
Watch Rugby World Cup Live With CyberGhost
Pros
- Dedicated streaming servers
- Cheap subscription plans
- Ad blocker
- AES-256 encryption
- 45-day refund policy
Cons
- Not working in China (no obfuscation)
3. NordVPN
The final VPN to consider for watching the Rugby World Cup on a free channel is NordVPN, and we think you’ve heard about it already. If not, read our full review of NordVPN here. This provider has 5,500 servers in 60 countries, offering hundreds of them across the UK and Australia.
If you’re streaming the Rugby World Cup 2024 live on ITVX, NordVPN will work like a charm. It’s fast thanks to the NordLynx protocol, which allows for buffer-free streaming. Another perk lies in its streaming capabilities, which go far beyond some of its rivals.
NordVPN will work on BBC iPlayer as well, plus, it has unlimited bandwidth that lets you enjoy the full event without interruptions. We like NordVPN’s easy-to-use apps which you can find on all platforms. Its Windows app is especially interesting because it has Threat Protection.
This feature gets rid of malware, ads, and viruses, allowing for a smooth experience without online threats. People also enjoy its SmartPlay (SmartDNS) feature for streaming on devices like Apple TV or gaming consoles, which ends up being simple to set up.
Also, NordVPN’s encryption is bank-grade, with the addition of split tunneling, a kill switch, and Private DNS. The service has RAM-only servers, plus, there’s a zero-logs policy, making this provider both safe and fast. Needless to say, NordVPN is covered by 24/7 live chat support as well
Its 6 simultaneous connections are more than enough for most people, especially since most of us have a few devices only. If you’re interested, make sure you use the button below to claim a special discount and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, like in ExpressVPN.
Watch Rugby World Cup Live With NordVPN
Pros
- Threat Protection
- 5,500 servers worldwide
- Excellent streaming capabilities
- SmartPlay
- RAM-only servers
Cons
- Expensive in some countries (VAT)
- Rare connection problems
Other Channels to Stream the Rugby World Cup Live
We also want to mention other channels that allow you to get full coverage of the Rugby World Cup. The channels we presented are 100% free, with the only requirement being a free account. However, we want to address paid channels from over the world now.
This is because people often complain that VPNs are expensive, which truly isn’t the case. Let’s check the channels that stream the Rugby World Cup 2024 live and see how much they’ll cost you.
- Sky Sport (NZ) – $19.99 a week or $39.99 a month
- TSN (Canada) – $19.99 a month, $49.96 for 4 months, or $199.90 annually
- FloSports (US) – $29.99 a month or $150 yearly
- Sling TV (US) – starts at $40 a month + Sports Extra at $11 a month; $51 a month in total
- Peacock Premium (US) – $4.99 a month
- Ziggo Sport (NL) – €9.99 a month
As you can see, these channels tend to cost quite a lot, upward of $199 a year if you go for TSN. This isn’t a small price, especially compared to ExpressVPN which costs only a few dollars a month. Not to mention that, despite their premium prices, these channels are also geo-restricted.
If you want to access a Canadian TV channel like TSN, for example, you’ll have to pay for it PLUS get a VPN to unblock it abroad. This results in having to pay a much higher price, on top of which, neither of the channels will give you a money-back guarantee.
That said, using a VPN to watch the Rugby World Cup for free on 9Now or ITVX is a much better solution. You will pay for a VPN but in the end, the price will be much lower and there’s a money-back guarantee if you make up your mind and decide to get a refund.
Watching the Rugby World Cup 2024 Live With a Free VPN
Another solution is to stream the Rugby World Cup 2024 live with a free VPN. Unfortunately, this solution won’t work, as free services lack servers in Australia and the UK. On top of that, free services that offer servers in this country come with limited monthly bandwidth.
The only good free VPN with unlimited bandwidth is ProtonVPN, yet, it offers servers in the Netherlands, the US, and Japan. PrivadoVPN with servers in both the UK and Australia gives you 10 GB of traffic a month, which isn’t enough to go through the entire event.
Furthermore, free providers tend to have much slower speeds, which makes the experience even worse. This means constant buffering and longer page-loading times, as a result. Not to mention that many free VPN providers aren’t even safe to use, which is an issue that requires special attention.
Hola VPN, Urban VPN, Betternet, Turbo VPN, and many others are frequently used for many purposes. Yet, none of these providers will provide substantial security and privacy, knowing their extreme logging practices that aren’t going to make you happy.
One of the worst issues is the lack of simultaneous connections, which prevents you from enjoying the VPN on multiple devices at the same time. Above all, free VPNs won’t work for this purpose because of limited bandwidth, slow speeds, and the lack of servers in the aforementioned countries.
And these reasons alone are enough for us to not recommend them. This doesn’t mean you can’t try them if you want, but we know the outcome – a big, fat disappointment.
The Rugby World Cup 2024 Schedule & Dates
Before concluding this guide on how to stream the Rugby World Cup 2024 live on a free channel, let’s go through its schedule. Here are all the dates and fixtures of the world cup that will start on September 8th and last until the 28th of October.
8th of September:
- France vs New Zealand
9th of September:
- Italy vs Namibia
- Ireland vs Romania
- Australia vs Georgia
- England vs Argentina
10th of September:
- South Africa vs Scotland
- Wales vs Fiji
- Japan vs Chile
14th of September:
- France vs Uruguay
15th of September
- New Zealand vs Namibia
16th of September:
- Ireland vs Tonga
- Wales vs Portugal
- Samoa vs Chile
17th of September:
- South Africa vs Romania
- Australia vs Fiji
- England vs Japan
20th of September:
- Italy vs Uruguay
21st of September:
- France vs Namibia
22nd of September:
- Argentina vs Samoa
23rd of September:
- South Africa vs Ireland
- Georgia vs Portugal
- England vs Chile
24th of September:
- Scotland vs Tonga
- Wales vs Australia
27th of September:
- Uruguay vs Namibia
28th of September:
- Japan vs Samoa
29th of September:
- New Zealand vs Italy
30th of September:
- Scotland vs Romania
- Fiji vs Georgia
- Argentina vs Chile
1st of October:
- South Africa vs Tonga
- Australia vs Portugal
5th of October:
- New Zealand vs Uruguay
6th of October:
- France vs Italy
7th of October:
- Ireland vs Scotland
- Wales vs Georgia
- England vs Samoa
8th of October:
- Tonga vs Romania
- Fiji vs Portugal
- Japan vs Argentina
14th to 15th of October:
- Quarterfinals
20th to 21st of October:
- Semifinals
27th of October:
- Play-off for the third place
28th of October:
- Final
These are the exact Rugby World Cup 2024 dates and fixtures. However, for precise information about times, it’s better to check the official site of the Rugby World Cup, as the schedule is prone to change.
Conclusion
In the end, watching the Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream on a free channel isn’t such a hard feat. Using ExpressVPN, you’ll be able to unblock both ITVX and Channel 9 (9Now), where you can find the live stream for free. Not only that, but the entire solution is quite simple.
You’ll need to get a VPN, connect to a server in the UK/Australia, and enjoy the entire Rugby World Cup 2024 live stream online. We have a feeling this is going to be one of the best Rugby World Cups in recent years, so needless to say, excitement is at its highest.
Who do you think is going to win this year’s battle to the top? Is South Africa going to repeat its success from the past World Cup? Let’s wait and see!