How to watch England vs Tonga for FREE: Live Streams

Watch England vs Tonga FREE on 7Plus (AUS) Stream on Premier Sports (US/CAN/UK) Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%) Kick-off: Sat, Oct 17, 5.05am ET / 10.05am BST / 8.05pm AEDT Watch England vs Tonga live streams in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup as the two countries begin their tournament at HBF Park, in Perth.

Brian McDermott's side are hoping this is the year they can finally achieve global glory for their country, who have finished runners-up three times but never lifted the title.

England are the nearly men of the Rugby League World Cup, reaching the semi-finals or final in each of their seven campaigns.

They suffered last-four heartbreak to Samoa on home soil four years ago, having lost to Australia in the final in 2017 – the last time the tournament was held Down Under.

The clash with Tonga is England's first game under new head coach Brian McDermott and the 56-year-old has made some big selection calls, with Mikey Lewis left out of the squad and Harry Smith preferred at half-back.

Meanwhile, Jack Welsby is only on the bench as NRL star AJ Brimson starts at full-back and Wigan Warriors winger Zach Eckersley makes his international debut.

Tonga don't need any added motivation for their clash with England, having lost 20-18 to these opponents in the 2017 semi-final after a last-gasp try was controversially ruled out.

That remains their best performance at a World Cup but they have reason to believe they can match that here after beginning the tournament ranked fifth in the world.

Tonga's squad includes classy half-back Isaiya Katoa and Tyson Frizell, who is representing a third nation at the World Cup having played for Wales in 2013 and Australia four years later.

They will need all of that experience and quality as they aim to beat England for the first time, having lost all of their previous six meetings.

The format of the tournament is a bit different this time around, with the three teams in Group B – including England – facing the trio of sides in Group C, and vice versa.

It means England's next two games are against France and Papa New Guinea, while Tonga take on Lebanon and Samoa.

Here's how to watch England vs Tonga from anywhere in the world – with FREE Rugby League World Cup 2026 streams explained.

Can you watch England vs Tonga for free? Yes! Every game of the Rugby League World Cup 2026 is being shown live on free-to-air Seven Network and 7Plus in Australia, including England vs Tonga.