How to Watch AFL and NRL Overseas
Heading overseas in footy season is poor planning, but it happens. The good news is that both codes run an official streaming service for fans outside Australia, so you do not need to stay up refreshing a dodgy stream. Here is what works, what does not, and where a VPN comes into it.
Watch AFL overseas: WatchAFL
WatchAFL is the AFL’s official international streaming service. It shows matches live and on demand to viewers outside Australia, and it is not sold to people inside Australia.
Passes are sold by the week, month or year, with a separate finals pass. Tom’s Guide’s 2026 season guide lists them at about US$20 a week, US$39 a month and US$182 a year. Prices vary by country, so check WatchAFL’s site before you buy. Some AFL clubs also bundle a WatchAFL pass into their international memberships, which is worth a look if you were going to join anyway.
Watch NRL overseas: Watch NRL
Watch NRL is the NRL’s equivalent, covering the premiership, State of Origin and finals. It is available outside Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Published 2026 guides list similar pricing to WatchAFL, by the week, month or year. Again, check the official site for the price in the country you will be in.
In some countries a local broadcaster also carries games. In the UK, for example, Sky Sports shows a selection of NRL matches each week.
Why Kayo, 7plus and 9Now stop working overseas
Kayo, Foxtel, 7plus and 9Now hold the rights to show the footy in Australia only. They check where you are connecting from, and if it is not Australia, they will not play. Your subscription has not been cancelled; it just does not travel.
Where a VPN fits in
A VPN with Australian servers makes your connection appear to come from Australia. Plenty of travelling Australians use one to keep watching the services they already pay for at home. Before you rely on that, three things are worth knowing:
- Terms of service. Australian streaming services generally say in their terms that they are for use in Australia. Using a VPN is legal, but it may be against those terms.
- It does not always work. Streaming services block VPN addresses they recognise. A server that works this week may not work next week. A refund period is the way to find out for the service you use.
- The official passes are built for this. If you are away for a few weeks, a weekly or monthly WatchAFL or Watch NRL pass is the option that is certain to work.
There is a second, less exciting reason to pack a VPN: hotel and airport Wi-Fi. If you are logging in to banking or email on networks you do not control, an encrypted connection is worth having regardless of the footy.
VPNs with Australian servers
If you do want a VPN for the trip, pick one with servers in more than one Australian city, so you have a fallback if one is slow or blocked. These are the current prices and details, read from each provider’s own site.
| VPN | Lowest monthly price | Renewal price | Money-back | Countries | Devices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 NordVPN | A$4.79 27 months, A$129.33 upfront | A$187.08 per 1 year | 30 days | 150 | 10 | Visit NordVPN |
2 Surfshark | A$3.49 27 months, A$94.23 upfront | – | 30 days | 100 | Unlimited | Visit Surfshark |
3 ExpressVPN | US$2.99 (about A$4.29) 28 months, US$83.72 upfront | US$99.95 per 1 year | 30 days | 113 | – | Visit ExpressVPN |
4 IPVanish | US$2.39 (about A$3.43) 2 years, US$57.36 upfront | – | 30 days | – | Unlimited | Visit IPVanish |
5 CyberGhost | A$3.27 26 months, A$85.02 upfront | A$85.02 per 1 year | 45 days | 100 | 7 | Visit CyberGhost |
– means the provider does not publish that detail on its pricing page. Prices shown in US$ are published in that currency; the Australian-dollar figure is approximate, converted at the European Central Bank euro reference rates for 12 Oct 2026 (US$1 = A$1.43).
Refund periods matter here. A 30-day money-back guarantee covers most holidays, so you can find out whether a VPN does what you need and get your money back if it does not. See VPN free trials for what each provider offers.
FAQ
Can I use Kayo overseas?
Not directly. Kayo is licensed for Australia and blocks connections from other countries.
Is WatchAFL available in Australia?
No. It is for viewers outside Australia. In Australia the AFL is shown on Seven, Foxtel and Kayo.
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch Australian TV from overseas?
Using a VPN is legal in Australia and in most countries Australians travel to. It may breach the streaming service’s terms of use, which is a matter between you and the service. More in are VPNs legal in Australia?
Sources
WatchAFL and Watch NRL pricing as reported by Tom’s Guide and Tom’s Guide’s NRL guide for the 2026 season. Checked 13 October 2026.