How to Watch the United Rugby Championship (URC) in 2026

The 2025-26 United Rugby Championship (URC) season is underway, with Glasgow Warriors currently leading the table. Fans in the UK, Ireland, South Africa and the USA have several options for watching live and on-demand. This guide details how to tune into the URC, including free-to-air options and subscription services.

URC Season Dates

The 2025-26 URC season runs from September 26, 2025, to June 20, 2026. The competition resumed this Friday, with the Six Nations 2026 having a fallow weekend before resuming on March 6.

Watching the URC in the UK

Premier Sports (https://www.premiersports.com/gb/sports/rugby/urc) holds exclusive broadcast rights for every URC fixture in the UK and Ireland. Subscriptions are available online and through TV providers.

• Premier Sports Subscription: £16.99 per month (rolling), £11.99 per month (year-long contract), or £120 per year.
• TV Providers: Premier Sports is also available via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player, and Virgin Media.

Free-to-Air Options: Select matches are available for free in the UK.

• S4C: The Welsh channel S4C broadcasts one match featuring a Welsh region in every round of the competition, totaling 20 live games. Matches are available with commentary in Welsh and English on the S4C terrestrial channel, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer, and the S4C Sports YouTube channel.
• BBC Wales: BBC Wales also broadcasts occasional URC matches throughout the season.

This Weekend’s UK Broadcast (February 27-28, 2026):

• Cardiff v Leinster on S4C (kick-off: 7.00pm GMT, Friday 27 February)

Watching the URC in Ireland

TG4: TG4 and its TG4 Player now have exclusive free-to-air rights to URC live streams in Ireland, showing at least 26 live games, including the final in June, and selected quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Premier Sports: As in the UK, Premier Sports offers comprehensive coverage for a subscription fee. Sky Sports customers can add Premier Sports as part of the Sports Extra pack (€10/month for the first six months, then €25/month).

This Weekend’s Ireland Broadcast (February 27-28, 2026):

• Cardiff v Leinster on TG4 (kick-off: 7.00pm GMT, Friday 27 February)
• Lions v Stormers on TG4 (kick-off: 12.30pm GMT, Saturday 28 February)
• Connacht v Glasgow Warriors on TG4 (kick-off: 3.00pm GMT, Saturday 28 February)

Watching the URC from Anywhere: Using a VPN

If you’re traveling abroad and want to access your usual URC live stream, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can help. A VPN allows you to change your IP address, making it appear as if you are still in your home country.

NordVPN (https://www.nordvpn.com/) is currently recommended by tech experts. Rugby World readers can get 70% off a two-year plan plus three months free.

Watching the URC in South Africa

Fans in South Africa can watch the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks, and Lions via SuperSport, with various packages available through DStv or streaming services.

Watching the URC in the USA

In the United States, the URC is available through a subscription to FloRugby (https://www.florugby.com/). A monthly subscription costs $29.99, while an annual subscription is $150.

URC Round 12 Fixtures (February 27-28, 2026)

• Friday 27 February 2026
• Cardiff Rugby v Leinster – FREE ON S4C IN THE UK AND TG4 IN IRELAND, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Kick-off: 7.00pm GMT
• Edinburgh v Scarlets, Hive Stadium, Edinburgh, Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
• Saturday 28 February 2026
• Lions v Stormers – FREE ON TG4 IN IRELAND, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, Kick-off: 12.30pm GMT
• Bulls v Sharks, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Kick-off: 3.00pm GMT
• Connacht v Glasgow Warriors – FREE ON TG4 IN IRELAND, Dexcom Stadium, Galway, Kick-off: 3.00pm GMT
• Munster v Zebra Parma, Thomond Park, Limerick, Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT
• Dragons v Benetton, Rodney Parade, Newport, Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT
• Ospreys v Ulster, Electric Brewery Field, Bridgend, Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT

For a complete schedule, see the United Rugby Championship official website.