How to watch the NRL Grand Final 2023 online for free
We're in the business of finding out how you can watch the biggest sporting events of the year. This is not always straightforward, with a lot of different platforms offering different levels of coverage.
Fortunately, that's not the case for the 2023 NRL Grand Final. There's only one way to watch this famous fixture, because a particular streaming platform has exclusive rights this year. If you want to watch the 2023 NRL Grand Final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
What is the NRL Grand Final?
The NRL Grand Final determines the champions of the National Rugby League. Since 1999, this fixture has been held at Stadium Australia (Accor Stadium) in Sydney.
The 2023 NRL Grand Final will be contested by Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos.
When is the 2023 NRL Grand Final?
The 2023 NRL Grand Final will take place on Oct. 1 at Accor Stadium. The match will begin at 7.30 p.m. AEDT.
How to watch the 2023 NRL Grand Final for free
The Nine Network has exclusive rights to the 2023 NRL Grand Final. That means if you want to stream the Grand Final for free, you'll need to head over to 9Now. This will be quick and easy from Australia, but you'll need to take a few additional steps to access 9Now from outside the country.
9Now will block your access if you attempt to connect from outside Australia. Fortunately, VPNs can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in Australia. This simple action makes it look like you're connecting from Australia, meaning you can trick streaming platforms like 9Now into providing you with access from anywhere in the world.
Watch the 2023 NRL Grand Final from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Sign up for 9Now — you just need to add a few details and an Australian post code (just Google an example)
Watch the 2023 NRL Grand Final from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can secure access to the 2023 NRL Grand Final without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can unblock 9Now, and then recover your investment after the NRL Grand Final.
If you want to retain permanent access to 9Now from anywhere in the world, you'll need to stay subscribed to a VPN. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for 9Now?
If you want to unblock and stream on 9Now from outside Australia, you'll need to use a streaming-friendly VPN. There are multiple VPNs that can reliably access streaming sites, but ExpressVPN is tough to beat.
ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 94 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to five simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch the 2023 NRL Grand Final for free with ExpressVPN.
Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.
Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.
