You know what's seriously entertaining? Watching absolutely massive men throw themselves into each other in an effort to get a ball over the line. We're talking about rugby, and it doesn't get any more entertaining than the Rugby World Cup.
The best teams from around the world have been battling it out in France over the last month, with everyone desperate to get their hands on the Webb Ellis Cup. We've experienced plenty of intense battles between the best of the best, and now we're into the semi-final stages of the competition.
If you're interested in watching the 2023 Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch the Rugby World Cup for free
ITV is offering live and free coverage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in the UK. Every game of the tournament is broadcast live on ITV1 and ITV4, with free streaming available on ITVX. You can access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with a VPN:
- Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
- Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
- Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
- Visit ITVX
- Watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup from anywhere in the world
Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By using these offers, you can unblock ITVX without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch most of the 2023 Rugby World Cup for free.
What is the Rugby World Cup?
The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the best international teams. France is playing host in 2023, with 20 nations competing over six weeks. Nations are divided into four pools, with the winner and runner-up from each of the four pools entering the knockout stage. The knockout stage consists of quarter- and semi-finals, and then the final.
The defending champions are South Africa, who defeated England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final.
When is the Rugby World Cup 2023?
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be the 10th men's Rugby World Cup. It is scheduled to take place in France from Sep. 8 to Oct. 28. The tournament will be contested in nine venues across the country and is the first to take place entirely in France.
Where else can you watch the Rugby World Cup in 2023?
The good news is that plenty of broadcasters are offering coverage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup:
- Australia — Stan Sport and 9Now
- France — TF1 Group, France 2, and M6
- Germany — ProSieben MAXX and Ran.de
- Italy — RAI and Sky Sport Italia
- Ireland — RTÉ and Virgin Media
- Netherlands — Ziggo Sport
- New Zealand — Sky Sport (New Zealand) and Prime Video (Sky Open Channel)
- South Africa — SuperSport
- United Kingdom — ITV (free and recommended)
- United States — NBC Sports
The problem here is that if you're not based in one of these locations, you might struggle to get access to Rugby World Cup coverage. And even if you are, these services might not show every game and there may not be a way to watch for free.
This is where a VPN can help. These services can hide your real IP address and connect you to a server in another country, meaning you get access to all the free streaming services from that location. The process is actually really straightforward.
What is the best VPN for streaming?
ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming sport, for a number of reasons:
- Servers in 94 countries including the UK
- Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
- Strict no-logging policy
- Fast connection speeds free from throttling
- Up to five simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can sign up to watch the Rugby World Cup, and then recover your investment at a later date. That means you can watch most of the tournament without actually spending anything.
Watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
