The World Club Challenge pits the winners of both the NRL and the Super League against each other annually, with some of the best players in the sport of Rugby on show.
As such, it has become a standout fixture during the NRL pre-season, and is the only game that sees international club sides go head to head.
With this year’s match being officially announced, Rugby League fans are wondering if the World Club Challenge will be broadcast on Australian TV, what day it will be played on, and how they can stream the match live?
Using this TV and streaming guide, you can stay up to date with all of these details and more.
World Club Challenge 2024 TV and streaming rights in Australia
The World Club Challenge, formerly known as the World Club Series, has a history that goes all the way back to 1976. The game has seen several changes over the years, the most notable of which was between 2015 and 2017 when multiple games between the top three teams in NRL and Super League took place over the course of one weekend.
Another major change has been that the encounter has moved back to being staged in the UK and Australia, in alternating years. Last year’s event was held in Penrith Stadium, NSW. This year it returns to DW Stadium, in greater Manchester, England, where the ESL champs the Wigan Warriors will be hosting NRL champs the Penrith Panthers.
Fortunately for Australian fans of the game, there are several options for watching the World Club Challenge live, or later on replay.
These options include the Kayo Sports streaming service, Foxtel iQ, the Foxtel Now online platform, and Telstra.
On the free-to-air side, you can watch the World Club Challenge on channel 9Gem and their streaming app 9Now.
When is Wigan vs Penrith playing the World Club Challenge?
This year’s edition of the Club World Challenge will see the Wigan Warriors battle the Penrith Panthers.
For Wigan, they will be pursuing a record fifth World Club Challenge trophy. While the Penrith Panthers, who played in this game last season, will be looking for their first-ever World Club Challenge title.
The date for the 2024 World Club Challenge is Sunday, the 25th of February (AEDT). The match will be held in the UK, at DW Stadium in greater Manchester.
What time are the Wigan Warriors vs Penrith Panthers live on TV in Australia?
The 2024 World Club Challenge between the Penrith Panthers and Wigan Warriors will take place on Sunday, 25 February. The kick-off time is 7:00am (AEDT).
For fans that don’t live in New South Wales or Victoria, the World Club Challenge will begin at 6:30am in Adelaide, at 6:00am in Brisbane and at 4:00am in Perth.
If you’re late to the match you can watch World Club Challenge replays on Foxtel and Kayo Sports. A full length replay will be shown immediately after the contest concludes, and mini replays will air again at different times through-out the week.
For additional details check out the TV schedule below, which includes the date, time, and streaming services that will be carrying Wigan vs Penrith live in Australia.
| Match | Date | Time (AEDT) |
Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wigan v Penrith Panthers | Sunday, 25 February | LIVE: 7:00am – 9.30am | Foxtel / Kayo / 9Gem / 9Now |
| Wigan v Penrith Panthers | Sunday, 25 February | REPLAY: 9.50am – 10.50am | Foxtel / Kayo |
Stream the World Club Challenge live with Kayo Sports
FeaturedKayo Sports is one of the more popular options for watching the World Club Challenge, as they will be streaming the event live directly from the UK to TV audiences in Australia.
Kayo offers live streaming options on a variety of devices and browsers, including PCs and Macs, iOS and Android phones and tablets, Apple and Telstra TV, as well as the popular Google Chromecast, Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge, with more apps and platforms soon to be added.
Kayo Sports also offer an array of great features which will make your World Club Challenge viewing experience even better. Every pass, try and TMO decision will be displayed in High Definition, giving you greater clarity as you watch the best in the world go about their business. Likewise, the SplitView feature enables you to watch up to four different events simultaneously on the same screen.
Kayo also has a No Spoilers option, which allows fans to hide all the scores so you won’t know the results before you’ve watched. It’s a very handy feature if you’re skipping around to other sports in progress during tournament play, and don’t want to know the outcomes before you’ve had a chance to watch an important event On Demand.
Kayo currently offers a free 7-day trial for new subscribers. And you’re not required to keep an annual membership, because Kayo Sports does not have a lock-in contract, which means you can cancel anytime if you’re no longer using it.
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Watch every game from every round of the NRL season + International Tests with a monthly no contract plan.
Watch the World Club Challenge live online with Foxtel Now
You also have the choice to watch the World Club Challenge online using Foxtel Now, which currently comes with a 10 day free trial. This option includes the ability to stream NRL using the Foxtel Go app.
Fox League comes as part of the Foxtel Now Sports Pack which can only be purchased on top of an Essentials Pack after your free trial.
As well every NRL regular season match available live, and the option to watch replays at a later time, Foxtel Now have a wide range of NRL programming that includes NRL Tonight, NRL 360 and the Late Show with Matty Johns.
Foxtel Now is more than an online platform, as it also includes the option to stream live sports using the Foxtel Go app when you’re away from home.
Stream the World Club Challenge live on 9Now
The World Club Challenge will also be available to stream live and free on 9Now, the Nine Networks stand-alone streaming app. That’s because the match will be shown on the free-to-air 9Gem channel, and simulcast on 9Now.
The commentary on Nine will be led by Phil Gould, Brad Fittler, Paul Gallen and Brenton Speed, with host James Bracey. The pre-match starts at 6:30am in Sydney and Melbourne, and at 5:30am in Brisbane.
Popular Rugby League Streaming Devices
You may not have a compatible mobile phone or personal computer, so with this in mind, what other choices do you have when it comes to streaming the World Club Challenge, and what are the benefits of each? Let’s look at some of the most reliable streaming devices available on the Aussie market.
Apple TV
Arguably the gold-standard of the lower-profile streaming device for years now, the Apple TV is quite popular because it delivers. This tiny box is now in its fifth generation, and has recently added 4K and HDR streaming. You can also download apps just like you would on your phone. And that means almost every major player is supported, including the Kayo Sports streaming service and Foxtel Now.
Google Chromecast
This amazing little device now comes in two options for streaming video, both with an HDMI connection linking them to your TV. You can choose from the standard or the Ultra Chromecast version – the difference is that the Ultra handles 4K video, which is becoming increasingly available in Australia thanks to Foxtel. Once plugged in and connected to your home Wi-Fi network, the device can be reached by a vast range of apps to stream PGA golf including Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now.
Foxtel Now Box
Another increasingly popular streaming device option would be the Foxtel Now Box. Launched over a year ago, it delivers the easiest way to stream Foxtel Now, as well as YouTube and Stan, directly to your TV. There’s no installation required so you can immediately start streaming the PGA Tour and other sport on your TV. Simply plug it in and start watching. Of course, you’ll need to subscribe to Foxtel Now’s Sports pack, which offers access to twelve channels including the home of the PGA – Fox Sports and all the live action available each and every week.
