State of Origin is back for 2023, and Game 1 is set to kick off on Wednesday, May 31 at 8.05pm AEST. The series opener gets underway on neutral turf in Adelaide, and while there’s been lots of talk about team selection, it’s really anyone’s game. Here’s our guide for where to watch a State of Origin live stream from wherever you are.
Date: Wednesday, May 31
Kick-off: 8.05pm AEST / 11.05am BST / 6.05am ET / 3.05am PT / 7.35pm ACST (local time)
Venue: Adelaide Oval, Australia
Free stream: 9Now (Aus)
Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free
The NSW Blues are entering Game 1 with a stacked roster, though they’ll be missing one of their star players in the opening match. Latrell Mitchell has been ruled out of State of Origin Game 1 due to a calf injury, the shock announcement made just two days out from the series opener. He’ll be replaced by Stephen Crichton for the Adelaide game.
Reports have also emerged that NSW’s Nathan Cleary is contending with an infection to his wisdom tooth, casting some doubt over whether he’d play Origin 1. However, Blues coach Brad Fittler put the rumors to bed while addressing the media from Adelaide. “There’s no problem, he’ll play, there was never a problem that he wasn’t going to play,” he said.
The Queensland side has not been plagued by similar injury concerns, though arguably their best player, Cameron Munster, is recovering from a minor rib injury. Munster is still set to play tonight, and knows he’ll be a target for the Blues. “They will be out there to get me. Bring it on,” he said.
Ready to watch State of Origin Game 1? Here’s how to watch NSW vs Queensland live no matter where you are.
Watch a State of Origin live stream for FREE
How to watch State of Origin from anywhere
If you’re an Aussie that’s keen to catch Channel 9’s free coverage of the State of Origin, but you’re currently overseas, you’ll find that your access has been geo-blocked. That’s when broadcasters or streaming services prevent you from watching your usual content while you’re travelling abroad.
If you fall into this camp, you could try using one of the best VPN services to set the IP address of your laptop, phone or streaming device back to one in Australia and watch as if you were in the country.
Use a VPN to stream the State of Origin from anywhere:
Using a VPN isn’t complicated; simply:
1. Download and install a VPN – as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN.
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location (a server in Australia in this case)
3. Go to the broadcaster’s stream – head to 9Now and start watching the State of Origin as if you were back at home.
How to watch State of Origin: live stream in New Zealand
How to watch State of Origin: live stream in the UK
Watch the State of Origin series in the rest of the world
If you live outside of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands or anywhere else where the TV rights have not been picked up, you can still watch the State of Origin online with the Watch NRL streaming service.
Watch NRL requires a subscription and has three different plans to choose from:
Weekly: US$17 / £13 / €17 / AU$20
Monthly: US$33 / £25 / €33 / AU$39
Annual: US$165 / £130 / €155 / AU$199.
