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Road to Battlefield: Central Eurasia’s gateway to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield | TechCrunch

Road to Battlefield: Central Eurasia’s gateway to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield | TechCrunch

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Historic regional competition launches to showcase Central Eurasia’s rising startup ecosystem on Silicon Valley’s biggest stage.

For the first time in its history, Central Eurasia will have a direct pathway to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield through the launch of “Road to Battlefield,” a groundbreaking regional competition that promises to put the underrepresented region firmly on the global innovation map.

The competition, organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub in partnership with TechCrunch and Freedom Holding, will span nine countries across Central Eurasia: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. National competitions will lead to a regional final where the top three startups will earn spots in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 2025 in San Francisco. 

“We’ve been exhibiting startups at TechCrunch Disrupt for several years as partners — 14 startups in 2023, 24 startups in 2024 — and we see that they can be competitive,” said Asset Abdualiyev, CEO and founder of Silkroad Innovation Hub. “In 2024, we had the largest pavilion at TechCrunch Disrupt. We are happy to take our partnership with TechCrunch Disrupt to the next level by providing direct access to TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 to the most promising startups from the Central Eurasian region.”

A region ready for recognition

Central Eurasia’s startup ecosystem has been quietly building momentum, representing a dynamic tech hub of 100 million people with one of the youngest populations in the world. The region produces approximately 200,000 STEM graduates annually and is home to an estimated 7,000 active startups across key sectors, including AI, fintech, edtech, medtech, and e-commerce.

The numbers tell a compelling story: Venture funding in Central Asia and the South Caucasus has grown 5.5x in recent years, reaching $110 million in 2023 and $150 million in the first half of 2024 alone. Notable successes include AI company Higgsfield, valued at over $100 million, and Uzum from Uzbekistan, which raised $114 million in funding, becoming the country’s first unicorn with a valuation of $1.16 billion. Meanwhile, regional offices of global players, such as Telegram and inDrive, have established operations in Kazakhstan.

Despite this growth, the region’s potential remains largely untapped by global investors. The Road to Battlefield competition aims to change that narrative by providing unprecedented visibility and access to Silicon Valley’s most influential networks.

“Not all investors understand how vast the opportunities are in that region,” explained Mr. Abdualiyev. “This competition is about showcasing that Central Eurasia has startups that deserve global recognition.”The initiative has garnered strong support from key regional players. Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub in Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of this opportunity: “We’ve been helping startups scale in the US through our acceleration programs and have seen real progress. Many companies have already secured local investments, and this competition provides an even bigger platform for Kazakhstan’s startups to be exposed.”

Strong Regional Partnership

The competition benefits from a robust partnership network across the region, supported by leading regional innovation hubs and accelerators:

Astana Hub (Kazakhstan), IT Park Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan), Future Laboratory (Georgia), Sabah Hub and Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA)  (Azerbaijan), IT Park Mongolia (Mongolia), Accelerate Prosperity (Kyrgyzstan), IT Park Dushanbe (Tajikistan), and Startup Centrum (Türkiye).

IT Park Uzbekistan, one of the key supporters, sees this as a crucial step in ecosystem development:

“We are happy to support and help Uzbek startups scale globally,” said Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan. “We wish that through our efforts to evolve the venture ecosystem, our startups can be seen in the US market and expand globally. As part of the Central Asia Innovation Hub that we are now implementing with Astana Hub, this initiative aligns perfectly with our regional development goals.”The initiative is backed by Freedom Holding as the main partner, demonstrating significant private sector commitment to regional innovation. “Freedom Holding Corp. has been supporting Central Eurasian teams on the global TechCrunch stage for several years now, and this year is no exception,” said Marlen Sikhayev, Adviser to the President of Freedom Finance Global PLC. “We believe in the potential of regional entrepreneurs and want to give them access to best practices, mentorship, and investments. This initiative not only provides crucial support for startups but also demonstrates that Central Eurasia’s technology and innovation sector is keeping pace with global trends and developing as a unified region.”

Competition Structure and Timeline

The competition follows a carefully structured process:

Stage 1: National Competitions (July 21 – August 10) Each country will host online pitch events.

Stage 2: Regional Final (August 15) The top 20 startups will compete in an online regional final to determine the three winners.

Stage 3: Battlefield Preparation (September 1 – October 24) Winners receive intensive preparation through weekly webinars leading up to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.

Stage 4: TechCrunch Startup Battlefield (October 26-29) The three finalists travel to Silicon Valley to compete in the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.

Exclusive Benefits for Winners

The three winning startups will receive a comprehensive package designed to maximize their Silicon Valley experience:

  • Guaranteed spots in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200
  • Round-trip flights to San Francisco for up to two team members
  • Accommodation covered for up to two weeks
  • Startup booth and exhibit space for all three days of TechCrunch Disrupt
  • Investor and networking access to top VCs and private industry events
  • Branding and media exposure through event materials and coverage opportunities

Startup Criteria

The competition targets early-stage startups that meet specific criteria:

  • Must not have exceeded the pre-series A funding stage
  • Must have a functional MVP
  • Should have limited global media exposure
  • Must be based in one of the nine Central Eurasian countries

Building on Success

TechCrunch Disrupt stands as one of the world’s most influential tech conferences, attracting over 165,000 attendees and featuring speakers such as Elon Musk, Serena Williams, and Satya Nadella. At its core, TechCrunch Startup Battlefield boasts an impressive 15-plus-year track record of launching global tech giants, including Trello, Dropbox, N26, Mint, and Forethought AI. Alumni companies have collectively raised over $32 billion, with more than 50 unicorns emerging from the program.

Each year, 200 early-stage startups compete for unparalleled exposure to top-tier investors and media, with 20 finalists advancing to compete live for $100,000 funding and the iconic Disrupt Cup.

A Historic Moment

The launch of Road to Battlefield represents more than just a competition; it’s a historic moment for Central Eurasia’s startup ecosystem. By creating a direct pathway to one of the world’s most prestigious startup stages, the initiative promises to accelerate the region’s integration into the global innovation economy.

As the competition opens for applications, entrepreneurs across Central Eurasia now have an opportunity to showcase their innovations to Silicon Valley’s most influential investors and partners. For a region that has long been underrepresented in global startup competitions, it could be the catalyst that transforms Central Eurasia into a recognized hub of global innovation.

Applications for Road to Battlefield are now open at https://road2battlefield.com/ , with a deadline of July 15, 2025.

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#Road #Battlefield #Central #Eurasias #gateway #TechCrunch #Startup #Battlefield #TechCrunch

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Medical experts I spoke with balked at the idea of uploading their own health data for an AI model, like Muse Spark, to analyze. “These chatbots now allow you to connect your own biometric data, put in your own lab information, and honestly, that makes me pretty nervous,” says Gauri Agarwal, a doctor of medicine and associate professor at the University of Miami. “I certainly wouldn’t connect my own health information to a service that I’m not fully able to control, understand where that information is being stored, or how it’s being utilized.” She recommends people stick to lower-stakes, more general interactions, like prepping questions for your doctor.

It can be tempting to rely on AI-assisted help for interpreting health, especially with the skyrocketing cost of medical treatments and overall inaccessibility of regular doctor visits for some people navigating the US health care system.

“You will be forgiven for going online and delegating what used to be a powerful, important personal relationship between a doctor and a patient—to a robot,” says Kenneth Goodman, founder of the University of Miami’s Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy. “I think running into that without due diligence is dangerous.” Before he considers using any of these tools, Goodman wants to see research proving that they are beneficial for your health, not just better at answering health questions than some competitor chatbot.

When I asked Meta AI for more information about how it would interpret my health information, if I provided any, the chatbot said it was not trying to replace my physician; the outputs were for educational purposes. “Think of me as a med school professor, not your doctor,” said Meta AI. That’s still a lofty claim.

The bot said the best way to get an interpretation of my health data was just to “dump the raw data,” like clinical lab reports, and tell it what my goals were. Meta AI would then create charts, summarize the info, and give a “referral nudge if needed.” In other chats I conducted with Meta AI, the bot prompted me to strip personal details before uploading lab results, but these caveats were not present in every test conversation.

“People have long used the internet to ask health questions,” a Meta spokesperson tells WIRED. “With Meta AI and Muse Spark, people are in control of what information to share, and our terms make clear they should only share what they’re comfortable with.”

In addition to privacy concerns, experts I spoke with expressed trepidation about how these AI tools can be sycophantic and influenced by how users ask questions. “A model might take the information that’s provided more as a given without questioning the assumptions that the patient inherently made when asking the question,” says Agrawal.

When I asked how to lose weight and nudged the bot towards extreme answers, Meta AI helped in ways that could be catastrophic for someone with anorexia. As I asked about the benefits of intermittent fasting, I told Meta AI that I wanted to fast five days every week. Despite flagging that this was not for most people and putting me at risk for eating disorders, Meta AI crafted a meal plan for me where I would only eat around 500 calories most days, which would leave me malnourished.

#Metas #Asked #Raw #Health #Dataand #Gave #Terrible #Advicehealth,artificial intelligence,health care,machine learning,chatbots,meta,personalized medicine">Meta’s New AI Asked for My Raw Health Data—and Gave Me Terrible AdviceMedical experts I spoke with balked at the idea of uploading their own health data for an AI model, like Muse Spark, to analyze. “These chatbots now allow you to connect your own biometric data, put in your own lab information, and honestly, that makes me pretty nervous,” says Gauri Agarwal, a doctor of medicine and associate professor at the University of Miami. “I certainly wouldn’t connect my own health information to a service that I’m not fully able to control, understand where that information is being stored, or how it’s being utilized.” She recommends people stick to lower-stakes, more general interactions, like prepping questions for your doctor.It can be tempting to rely on AI-assisted help for interpreting health, especially with the skyrocketing cost of medical treatments and overall inaccessibility of regular doctor visits for some people navigating the US health care system.“You will be forgiven for going online and delegating what used to be a powerful, important personal relationship between a doctor and a patient—to a robot,” says Kenneth Goodman, founder of the University of Miami’s Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy. “I think running into that without due diligence is dangerous.” Before he considers using any of these tools, Goodman wants to see research proving that they are beneficial for your health, not just better at answering health questions than some competitor chatbot.When I asked Meta AI for more information about how it would interpret my health information, if I provided any, the chatbot said it was not trying to replace my physician; the outputs were for educational purposes. “Think of me as a med school professor, not your doctor,” said Meta AI. That’s still a lofty claim.The bot said the best way to get an interpretation of my health data was just to “dump the raw data,” like clinical lab reports, and tell it what my goals were. Meta AI would then create charts, summarize the info, and give a “referral nudge if needed.” In other chats I conducted with Meta AI, the bot prompted me to strip personal details before uploading lab results, but these caveats were not present in every test conversation.“People have long used the internet to ask health questions,” a Meta spokesperson tells WIRED. “With Meta AI and Muse Spark, people are in control of what information to share, and our terms make clear they should only share what they’re comfortable with.”In addition to privacy concerns, experts I spoke with expressed trepidation about how these AI tools can be sycophantic and influenced by how users ask questions. “A model might take the information that’s provided more as a given without questioning the assumptions that the patient inherently made when asking the question,” says Agrawal.When I asked how to lose weight and nudged the bot towards extreme answers, Meta AI helped in ways that could be catastrophic for someone with anorexia. As I asked about the benefits of intermittent fasting, I told Meta AI that I wanted to fast five days every week. Despite flagging that this was not for most people and putting me at risk for eating disorders, Meta AI crafted a meal plan for me where I would only eat around 500 calories most days, which would leave me malnourished.#Metas #Asked #Raw #Health #Dataand #Gave #Terrible #Advicehealth,artificial intelligence,health care,machine learning,chatbots,meta,personalized medicine

Gauri Agarwal, a doctor of medicine and associate professor at the University of Miami. “I certainly wouldn’t connect my own health information to a service that I’m not fully able to control, understand where that information is being stored, or how it’s being utilized.” She recommends people stick to lower-stakes, more general interactions, like prepping questions for your doctor.

It can be tempting to rely on AI-assisted help for interpreting health, especially with the skyrocketing cost of medical treatments and overall inaccessibility of regular doctor visits for some people navigating the US health care system.

“You will be forgiven for going online and delegating what used to be a powerful, important personal relationship between a doctor and a patient—to a robot,” says Kenneth Goodman, founder of the University of Miami’s Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy. “I think running into that without due diligence is dangerous.” Before he considers using any of these tools, Goodman wants to see research proving that they are beneficial for your health, not just better at answering health questions than some competitor chatbot.

When I asked Meta AI for more information about how it would interpret my health information, if I provided any, the chatbot said it was not trying to replace my physician; the outputs were for educational purposes. “Think of me as a med school professor, not your doctor,” said Meta AI. That’s still a lofty claim.

The bot said the best way to get an interpretation of my health data was just to “dump the raw data,” like clinical lab reports, and tell it what my goals were. Meta AI would then create charts, summarize the info, and give a “referral nudge if needed.” In other chats I conducted with Meta AI, the bot prompted me to strip personal details before uploading lab results, but these caveats were not present in every test conversation.

“People have long used the internet to ask health questions,” a Meta spokesperson tells WIRED. “With Meta AI and Muse Spark, people are in control of what information to share, and our terms make clear they should only share what they’re comfortable with.”

In addition to privacy concerns, experts I spoke with expressed trepidation about how these AI tools can be sycophantic and influenced by how users ask questions. “A model might take the information that’s provided more as a given without questioning the assumptions that the patient inherently made when asking the question,” says Agrawal.

When I asked how to lose weight and nudged the bot towards extreme answers, Meta AI helped in ways that could be catastrophic for someone with anorexia. As I asked about the benefits of intermittent fasting, I told Meta AI that I wanted to fast five days every week. Despite flagging that this was not for most people and putting me at risk for eating disorders, Meta AI crafted a meal plan for me where I would only eat around 500 calories most days, which would leave me malnourished.

#Metas #Asked #Raw #Health #Dataand #Gave #Terrible #Advicehealth,artificial intelligence,health care,machine learning,chatbots,meta,personalized medicine">Meta’s New AI Asked for My Raw Health Data—and Gave Me Terrible Advice

Medical experts I spoke with balked at the idea of uploading their own health data for an AI model, like Muse Spark, to analyze. “These chatbots now allow you to connect your own biometric data, put in your own lab information, and honestly, that makes me pretty nervous,” says Gauri Agarwal, a doctor of medicine and associate professor at the University of Miami. “I certainly wouldn’t connect my own health information to a service that I’m not fully able to control, understand where that information is being stored, or how it’s being utilized.” She recommends people stick to lower-stakes, more general interactions, like prepping questions for your doctor.

It can be tempting to rely on AI-assisted help for interpreting health, especially with the skyrocketing cost of medical treatments and overall inaccessibility of regular doctor visits for some people navigating the US health care system.

“You will be forgiven for going online and delegating what used to be a powerful, important personal relationship between a doctor and a patient—to a robot,” says Kenneth Goodman, founder of the University of Miami’s Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy. “I think running into that without due diligence is dangerous.” Before he considers using any of these tools, Goodman wants to see research proving that they are beneficial for your health, not just better at answering health questions than some competitor chatbot.

When I asked Meta AI for more information about how it would interpret my health information, if I provided any, the chatbot said it was not trying to replace my physician; the outputs were for educational purposes. “Think of me as a med school professor, not your doctor,” said Meta AI. That’s still a lofty claim.

The bot said the best way to get an interpretation of my health data was just to “dump the raw data,” like clinical lab reports, and tell it what my goals were. Meta AI would then create charts, summarize the info, and give a “referral nudge if needed.” In other chats I conducted with Meta AI, the bot prompted me to strip personal details before uploading lab results, but these caveats were not present in every test conversation.

“People have long used the internet to ask health questions,” a Meta spokesperson tells WIRED. “With Meta AI and Muse Spark, people are in control of what information to share, and our terms make clear they should only share what they’re comfortable with.”

In addition to privacy concerns, experts I spoke with expressed trepidation about how these AI tools can be sycophantic and influenced by how users ask questions. “A model might take the information that’s provided more as a given without questioning the assumptions that the patient inherently made when asking the question,” says Agrawal.

When I asked how to lose weight and nudged the bot towards extreme answers, Meta AI helped in ways that could be catastrophic for someone with anorexia. As I asked about the benefits of intermittent fasting, I told Meta AI that I wanted to fast five days every week. Despite flagging that this was not for most people and putting me at risk for eating disorders, Meta AI crafted a meal plan for me where I would only eat around 500 calories most days, which would leave me malnourished.

#Metas #Asked #Raw #Health #Dataand #Gave #Terrible #Advicehealth,artificial intelligence,health care,machine learning,chatbots,meta,personalized medicine

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It’s clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that’s why we all love it.

And if you’re looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It’s an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We’re definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there’s something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week.

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By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos.

When is the 2026 NRL?

The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.

How to watch the 2026 NRL for free

Select fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

  4. Visit 9Now

  5. Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Australia

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.

#NRL #livestream #watch #National #Rugby #League #free">NRL 2026 livestream: How to watch National Rugby League for free TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It’s clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that’s why we all love it. And if you’re looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It’s an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We’re definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there’s something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week. Mashable Deals By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.What is the NRL?The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos. Mashable Top Stories When is the 2026 NRL?The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.How to watch the 2026 NRL for freeSelect fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now. 9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:Subscribe to 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 AustraliaVisit 9NowLive stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world .99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:Servers in 105 countries including AustraliaEasy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and moreStrict no-logging policy so your data is always secureFast connection speedsUp to 10 simultaneous connections30-day money-back guaranteeA two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for .40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just .99 (with money-back guarantee).Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN. #NRL #livestream #watch #National #Rugby #League #free

9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It’s clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that’s why we all love it.

And if you’re looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It’s an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We’re definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there’s something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos.

When is the 2026 NRL?

The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.

How to watch the 2026 NRL for free

Select fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

  4. Visit 9Now

  5. Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Australia

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.

#NRL #livestream #watch #National #Rugby #League #free">NRL 2026 livestream: How to watch National Rugby League for free

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It’s clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that’s why we all love it.

And if you’re looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It’s an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We’re definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there’s something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos.

When is the 2026 NRL?

The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.

How to watch the 2026 NRL for free

Select fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

  4. Visit 9Now

  5. Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Australia

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.

#NRL #livestream #watch #National #Rugby #League #free

The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s $100 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the $20 per month Plus tier and the $200 version of the Pro tier.

(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an $8 per month Go tier and a free tier.

#ChatGPT #month #Pro #subscriptionAI,News,OpenAI">ChatGPT has a new 0 per month Pro subscriptionOpenAI has announced a new version of its ChatGPT Pro subscription that costs 0 per month. The new Pro tier offers “5x more” usage of its Codex coding tool than the per month Plus subscription and “is best for longer, high-effort Codex sessions,” OpenAI says.The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s 0 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the per month Plus tier and the 0 version of the Pro tier.(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new 0 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an per month Go tier and a free tier.#ChatGPT #month #Pro #subscriptionAI,News,OpenAI

OpenAI says.

The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s $100 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the $20 per month Plus tier and the $200 version of the Pro tier.

(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an $8 per month Go tier and a free tier.

#ChatGPT #month #Pro #subscriptionAI,News,OpenAI">ChatGPT has a new $100 per month Pro subscription

OpenAI has announced a new version of its ChatGPT Pro subscription that costs $100 per month. The new Pro tier offers “5x more” usage of its Codex coding tool than the $20 per month Plus subscription and “is best for longer, high-effort Codex sessions,” OpenAI says.

The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s $100 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the $20 per month Plus tier and the $200 version of the Pro tier.

(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an $8 per month Go tier and a free tier.

#ChatGPT #month #Pro #subscriptionAI,News,OpenAI

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