China's ambassador to Tonga has contributed to a fundraising effort which will allow Tongans to watch their national team's critical Rugby World Cup clash with England live on free-to-air television.

Television Tonga will televise the match live to residents of the main island Tongatapu and parts of the outlying island of Eua Saturday, the network said.

Broadcasting rights to the World Cup in France are held by the pay television company Sky Pacific, and Tonga's previous matches - including its win over Samoa - were seen live by only a small number of people.

Some fans were able to see the Samoa match at hotels which provide Sky television but most Tongans listened to live radio broadcasts of the game.

When it became clear Tonga's match with England, to be played Saturday morning local time, would decide which team advances to the quarter-finals, Television Tonga launched a fund-raising effort to buy broadcasting rights to the match.

China's ambassador to Tonga, Hu Yeshun, contributed $1,000 Tongan dollars ($A548) to the appeal and Tongans living overseas made contributions which allowed the network to reach its fund-raising target.

Katalina Tohi, manager of Television Tonga, confirmed on Friday that rights had been secured and the match would be shown live at 8 am Tongan time Saturday.

AP