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Major League Rugby schedule 2026: Dates, times, TV channels, live streams, teams to watch every MLR match originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Major League Rugby is back for 2026 with a streamlined roster of franchises but the same team to beat as in recent years.
The New England Free Jacks have won the last three MLR championships and are one of six teams set to compete this season, down from 11 last year.
Among New England's competitors this year is the newly formed California Legion, which will play home matches in five different stadiums across the Golden State after absorbing personnel from last year's Los Angeles and San Diego franchises.
The six teams will play a 10-match regular season schedule, home and home against each opponent, with the top four teams in the table afterward making the playoffs.
Will New England rule again or can another team dethrone the three-time champions? Here's everything you need to know to watch the 2026 Major League Rugby season.
Where to watch Major League Rugby in 2026
- TV channels: ESPN2 (select matches), local channels
- Live streams:ESPN+, Fubo (select matches)
Every Major League Rugby match in 2026 is available to stream live and on demand with ESPN+, which is available via the
ESPN app. See the full schedule below.
Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the ESPN app.
Two regular-season matches will air nationally on ESPN2, along with the playoff semifinals. Many teams also have local deals for over-the-air broadcasts in their markets. Many of those matches can be streamed via
Fubo in local markets, and the service also will carry the ESPN2 broadcasts.
Major League Rugby schedule 2026
Week 1
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., March 28 | Anthem Rugby Carolina at California Legion | 6 p.m. | ESPN+ |
Week 2
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Fri., April 3 | Old Glory DC at Seattle Seawolves | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sat., April 4 | Chicago Hounds at Anthem Rugby Carolina | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New England Free Jacks at California Legion | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 3
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., April 11 | Old Glory DC at New England Free Jacks | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., April 12 | Seattle Seawolves at Anthem Rugby Carolina | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| California Legion at Chicago Hounds | 9 p.m. | ESPN2, ESPN app, Fubo | |
Week 4
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., April 18 | Old Glory DC at Anthem Rugby Carolina | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., April 19 | New England Free Jacks at Chicago Hounds | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Seattle Seawolves at California Legion | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 5
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Fri., April 24 | Chicago Hounds at Seattle Seawolves | 10 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., April 26 | Anthem Rugby Carolina at New England Free Jacks | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| California Legion at Old Glory DC | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 6
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sun., May 3 | Seattle Seawolves at New England Free Jacks | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Old Glory DC at Chicago Hounds | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 7
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., May 9 | California Legion at New England Free Jacks | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., May 10 | Seattle Seawolves at Old Glory DC | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Anthem Rugby Carolina at Chicago Hounds | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 8
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., May 16 | Chicago Hounds at California Legion | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., May 17 | Anthem Rugby Carolina at Seattle Seawolves | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New England Free Jacks at Old Glory DC | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 9
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., May 23 | New England Free Jacks at Anthem Rugby Carolina | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., May 24 | Seattle Seawolves at Chicago Hounds | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Old Glory DC at California Legion | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 10
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., May 30 | Chicago Hounds at Old Glory DC | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., May 31 | California Legion at Anthem Rugby Carolina | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New England Free Jacks at Seattle Seawolves | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | |
Week 11
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| Sat., June 6 | Anthem Rugby Carolina at Old Glory DC | 4 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sun., June 7 | Chicago Hounds at New England Free Jacks | 2 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| California Legion at Seattle Seawolves | 9 p.m. | ESPN2, ESPN app, Fubo | |
Playoffs
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|
| TBD | Semifinal | TBD | ESPN2, ESPN app, Fubo |
| TBD | Semifinal | TBD | ESPN2, ESPN app, Fubo |
| TBD | Championship | TBD | TBD |
Major League Rugby teams, stadiums 2026
| Team | Stadium |
|---|
| Anthem Rugby Carolina | American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. |
| California Legion | Multiple stadiums |
| Chicago Hounds | SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill. |
| New England Free Jacks | Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy, Mass. |
| Old Glory DC | Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown, Md. |
| Seattle Seawolves | Starfire Stadium, Tukwila, Wash. |
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