US Open Tennis 2026: New Zealand TV, Start Time, Schedule, Live Stream
For US Open Tennis 2026 New Zealand fans have one route to live play: ESPN on Disney+. ESPN holds the New Zealand rights and streams every match from all 16 courts at Flushing Meadows. TVNZ no longer carries the tournament, and Sky Sport does not simulcast it on its ESPN channels.
Play runs from Sunday 30 August to Sunday 13 September in New York, which is Monday 31 August to Monday 14 September in New Zealand. The third round finishes on Sunday 6 September NZT. Here is everything still to come, in NZ time.
- Where to watch: Disney+ only, from $9.99 a month
- Time gap: New Zealand is 16 hours ahead of New York
- Daily play: from about 3:00am NZT, night session 11:00am NZT
- Women’s singles final: Sunday 13 September, 8:00am NZT
- Men’s singles final: Monday 14 September, 6:00am NZT
US Open Tennis 2026 New Zealand TV Coverage
Disney+ is the only place to watch live in New Zealand. Subscribers get the full ESPN feed, first ball to last, across Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium and every outside court.
- No free to air option. TVNZ Duke and TVNZ+ carried the tournament in past years. Any guide still pointing you there is out of date.
- No Sky Sport coverage. Sky carries the ESPN1 and ESPN2 linear channels, but Sky has confirmed US Open play is not part of that programming.
- ESPN is on every plan. Premium, Standard and Standard with Ads all include it. There is no sports add on to buy.
- Ads run during live sport. The Disney+ terms allow advertising in live content even on the no ads tiers, so expect breaks at changeovers.
US Open Tennis 2026 New Zealand Schedule and NZT Start Times
New York is on Eastern Daylight Time and New Zealand is on NZST, so add 16 hours to any US start time. New Zealand daylight saving does not begin until 27 September, so the gap holds for the rest of the tournament.
Coverage opens between 3:00am and 3:30am NZT most days, with the outside courts first and Arthur Ashe Stadium following soon after. The New York night session, which usually holds the marquee match, starts at 11:00am NZT and is the friendliest slot for Kiwi viewers.
These are the confirmed ESPN sessions still to come, converted to NZ time:
| Date (NZT) | Round | Coverage Starts (NZT) |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 6 Sep | Third Round, final day | 3:30am, night 11:00am |
| Mon 7 Sep | Round of 16 | 3:00am, night 11:00am |
| Tue 8 Sep | Round of 16 | 3:00am, night 11:00am |
| Wed 9 Sep | Quarterfinals | 3:30am, night 11:00am |
| Thu 10 Sep | Quarterfinals | 3:30am, night 11:30am |
| Fri 11 Sep | Women’s Semifinals | 11:00am |
| Sat 12 Sep | Women’s Doubles Final, then Men’s Semifinals | 4:00am, then 7:00am and 11:00am |
| Sun 13 Sep | Men’s Doubles Final, then Women’s Singles Final | 4:00am, then 8:00am |
| Mon 14 Sep | Men’s Singles Final | 6:00am |
Only the first match of each session has a fixed start. Rain and long five setters push everything back. The daily order of play lands the evening before, so check usopen.org or our full US Open 2026 schedule before setting an alarm.
Three habits make the early starts workable:
- Target 11:00am. The New York night session is late morning here and carries the biggest match of the day.
- Lean on replays. Full matches stay on demand, so skip the 3:00am alarm and watch after work.
- Mute your feeds. Results reach social media hours before you sit down.
How to Live Stream the US Open in New Zealand
Sign up at disneyplus.com, pick a plan, then open the ESPN hub on the Disney+ home screen. Each live court shows as its own tile, so you can jump between matches. Current New Zealand pricing:
| Plan | Monthly (NZD) | Yearly (NZD) | Quality and Streams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard with Ads | $9.99 | Not offered | 1080p, 2 streams |
| Standard | $18.99 | $189.99 (save $37) | 1080p, 2 streams |
| Premium | $25.99 | $259.99 (save $51) | 4K UHD HDR, 4 streams |
All three plans carry the tournament. With nine days left, one month of Standard with Ads at $9.99 is the cheapest way in, and you can cancel before the next billing date. Disney+ runs on smart TVs, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation, Xbox, phones, tablets and browsers.
Can You Watch the US Open Free in New Zealand?
Not for live play. There is no free to air simulcast, and Disney+ does not offer a free trial here. What is genuinely free:
- Match highlights on the official US Open YouTube channel, usually up within hours.
- Live scores and point by point tracking in the US Open app, plus our daily results page.
- News clips and wrap ups on RNZ and the NZ Herald.
Skip pirate streams. They drop out mid match, carry malware risk and give you no replay. For options in other countries, see our US Open live stream guide.
Kiwi Players and Storylines Still Alive
Erin Routliffe is New Zealand’s best title hope. Seeded ninth in women’s doubles with Aldila Sutjiadi, she opened with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Clara Tauson and Ann Li and meets Janice Tjen and Leylah Fernandez next. Routliffe already owns two US Open doubles titles, won in 2023 and 2025 with Gabriela Dabrowski. Her final, if she gets there, is 4:00am NZT on Saturday 12 September.
Michael Venus is back from injury in men’s doubles with Yuki Bhambri, the pair who reached the semifinals here last year. Finn Reynolds and James Watt are making their US Open debut as a New Zealand pairing. Lulu Sun, still the country’s top ranked woman, did not make the singles draw this year.
In the singles, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew before the tournament with a right knee injury. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has moved into the fourth round. Aryna Sabalenka is also through and chasing a third straight New York title after winning in 2024 and 2025. Prize money is a record $108 million, with $5.5 million to each singles champion.
Travelling Overseas Before the Finals?
Disney+ is region locked, so your New Zealand ESPN content disappears when you land abroad. A VPN restores it. Connect to a New Zealand server first, then open the app as normal.
ExpressVPN is a reliable pick for this. You still need an active subscription. It works for existing subscribers who travel, not as a way around paying.
FAQ About US Open Tennis 2026 New Zealand
What channel is the US Open on in New Zealand?
There is no TV channel. ESPN holds the New Zealand rights and streams every match exclusively on Disney+. Sky Sport does not carry it on ESPN1 or ESPN2, and TVNZ no longer holds the rights.
What time does the US Open start in New Zealand?
Coverage begins between 3:00am and 3:30am NZT most days, and the New York night session starts at 11:00am NZT. New Zealand is 16 hours ahead of New York for the whole tournament.
When are the 2026 US Open finals in NZ time?
The women’s singles final is Sunday 13 September at 8:00am NZT. The men’s singles final is Monday 14 September at 6:00am NZT. Both times come from the published ESPN telecast schedule.
When are the semifinals and doubles finals in NZ time?
Women’s semifinals start Friday 11 September at 11:00am NZT. The women’s doubles final is Saturday 12 September at 4:00am NZT, followed by the men’s semifinals at 7:00am and 11:00am. The men’s doubles final is Sunday 13 September at 4:00am NZT.
How much does Disney+ cost in New Zealand?
Standard with Ads is $9.99 a month, Standard is $18.99 a month or $189.99 a year, and Premium is $25.99 a month or $259.99 a year. ESPN and the US Open are included on all three plans at no extra cost.
Is there a free way to watch the US Open in NZ?
Not for live play. There is no free to air broadcast and Disney+ does not offer a free trial in New Zealand. Free highlights are posted on the official US Open YouTube channel within hours of each match.
Does Disney+ show every match or only Arthur Ashe Stadium?
Every match on all 16 courts streams live, including Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium and the outside courts. Replays stay available on demand. Ads run during live sport on all plans, including the no ads tiers.
Which New Zealand players are at the 2026 US Open?
Erin Routliffe, a two time US Open doubles champion, is the ninth seed in women’s doubles with Aldila Sutjiadi. Michael Venus plays men’s doubles with Yuki Bhambri, and Finn Reynolds and James Watt are on debut. Lulu Sun is not in the singles draw.
Following US Open Tennis 2026 New Zealand side needs one subscription and one plan. Disney+ from $9.99 a month, coverage from about 3:00am NZT, the night session at 11:00am, the women’s final at 8:00am on Sunday 13 September and the men’s final at 6:00am on Monday 14 September.
Set the reminders, use replays for the early starts, and you will not miss a point of the last Grand Slam of the year.
