The BBC will offer radio commentary and match highlights for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, International Rugby League announced on October 14.
The arrangement follows criticism over the absence of free-to-air live television coverage in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC iPlayer will provide limited access to the tournament, which begins with Australia facing New Zealand in Sydney.
The agreement falls short of the live television coverage many supporters had expected from the BBC, which has traditionally broadcast the Rugby League World Cup and England's international matches.
The announcement came just over 24 hours before the opening fixture, after confirmation that the BBC would not carry the competition live on television.
Coverage Details and First Broadcast
According to International Rugby League, the BBC's coverage will include radio broadcasts through Radio 5 Live and highlights packages on BBC iPlayer.
Listeners can also access audio programming through BBC Sounds, while the highlights offer an additional way to follow the competition without a subscription to a live sports service.
The first scheduled BBC Radio 5 Live commentary will cover Australia against New Zealand, with kickoff set for 10:05 a.
m. on Thursday.
The match opens the tournament at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, bringing together two of international rugby league's leading teams.
Premier Sports secured the UK and Ireland broadcast rights for the tournament, leaving supporters without free live television coverage through the BBC.
The subscription service offers monthly packages costing £18.99, and the competition runs for more than a month, potentially requiring viewers to pay almost £40 to follow the action throughout the tournament.
The broadcasting decision prompted criticism from political figures and rugby league commentators.
Government minister Lisa Nandy criticized the lack of free-to-air coverage, while pundit Jon Wilkin urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to speak out against the arrangement.
Wilkin described the decision to place the competition behind a paywall as a "travesty."
The criticism focused on the loss of free live television access to one of rugby league's major international tournaments.
Despite the limited BBC agreement, Premier Sports will stream all England matches across the men's, women's and wheelchair competitions.
The opening weekend includes a doubleheader in Perth on Saturday, featuring the women's match against Wales followed by the men's match against Tonga.
International Rugby League also confirmed additional broadcast partners to extend coverage beyond the UK and Ireland.
Sportdigital TV will broadcast the tournament in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, while Sport 24 will provide coverage through its dedicated live sports channel for airline and cruise ship passengers across 35 countries.
Dubai TV will carry the competition across the Middle East and Arabic-language countries in Africa.
The additional agreements form part of International Rugby League's effort to establish broadcast coverage across multiple international markets.
