Samoa, runners-up in the last Rugby League World Cup, get their campaign underway in Sydney.
Watch Samoa v France as the two sides kick of the Rugby League World Cup’s Pool B programme in Sydney.
– Date: Friday 16 October, 2026
– Kick-off time: 7.45am BST / 5.45pm AEDT / 7.45pm NZDT / 2.45am EDT / 11.45pm PDT (Thursday)
– Free stream: 7 Plus (Australia)
– Other live streams: Premier Sports (UK, Ireland, US), Sky Sport (New Zealand)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
Samoa have only won one international (against Pacific neighbours Tonga) since losing the Rugby World Cup 2021 final to Australia in November 2022, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. All their other games in the interim have come against Australia, New Zealand and England – the only teams above them in the current world rankings – so they’ll be strong favourites heading into their opening match of this year’s tournament.
With many of their players earning a living in the NRL, Sydney’s CommBank Stadium (home of the Parramatta Eels and their co-captain, Junior Paulo) will also feel familiar.
France earned their place in this year’s tournament after beating Ukraine and Wales in the European qualifiers, and will be looking to improve on their performance at the last World Cup, when they failed to make it out of their pool. That may prove difficult, however, with England next on their fixture list.
Unsurprisingly their squad is dominated by players from France-based Super League teams Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique, but there are also players from Hull FC, Hull Kingston Rovers, Huddersfield Giants and South Sydney Rabbitohs among their ranks.
Read on to find out everything you need to know to watch Samoa v France online, on TV and from anywhere – including an option to watch for free in Australia. Scroll down to the end of the article for the team line-ups.
Rugby league fans in Australia can watch Samoa v France – along with every other match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup – for free on Seven and its 7plus streaming service. You just need to create a free account with your email address to get started.
The good news for Aussies travelling overseas right now is that you can still access your usual free 7plus service by using a VPN to avoid geo-blocking restrictions that might otherwise get in the way. Find out more below.
Live stream Samoa v France from anywhere
Away from home? Fear not. A VPN bypasses geo-blocking by changing your IP address, allowing you to stream matches as if you were sitting in your own front room. The tech experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide rate NordVPN as world number one, thanks to its low price and unrivalled ability to unblock streaming services.
Other places to watch Samoa v France
- United Kingdom: You’ll want to head to Premier Sports to watch Samoa v France live streams in the UK. You can follow the action online, or through your TV via Sky Q, Prime Video, STV Player or Virgin Media. Costs are £18.99 a month on a rolling basis, £13.99 a month on a year-long contract, or £130 a year (that works out at less than £11 per month) if you pay up front.
- Ireland: Premier Sports is also the place to go to watch Samoa v France in Ireland. If you already have Sky Sports you can add the service to your subscription as part of the Sports Extra pack. It’ll cost you €10 per month for the first six months, before rising to €25 per month for the next six months.
- United States: Samoa v France live streams are available on Premier Sports in the US. You can get access to all 53 games of the Rugby League World Cup with a RLWC26 Pass, which costs $25.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ is the destination to live stream Samoa v France in New Zealand. Subscriptions will set you back $59.99 per month or $549.99 per year, though day passes are available for $29.99 if you only want to tune into specific games.
- Rest of the world: Premier Sports holds the Rugby League World Cup 2026 rights in over 120 countries around the world – including France – so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to watch Samoa v France live streams there. Prices, of course, vary by region.
Samoa v France line-ups and officials
Samoa
1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2. Brian To’o
3. Izack Tago
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Deine Mariner
6. Chanel Harris-Tavita
7. Jarome Luai (co-captain)
8. Francis Molo
9. Benaiah Ioelu
10. Junior Paulo (co-captain)
11. Connelly Lemuelu
12. Jermaine McEwen
13. Francis Manuleleua
Interchange:
14. Jazz Tevaga
15. Spencer Leniu
16. Shawn Blore
17. Sualauvi Fa’alogo
18. Ata Mariota
19. Clayton Faulalo
France
1. Arthur Mourgue
2. Benjamin Laguerre
3. Latrell Siegwalt
4. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
5. Leo Darrelatour
6. Cesar Rouge
7. Theo Fages
8. Romain Navarrete
9. Benjamin Garcia (captain)
10. Lambert Belmas
11. Arthur Romano
12. Mathieu Jussaume
13. Julian Bousquet
Interchange:
14. Amir Bourouh
15. Tiaki Chan
16. Jordan Dezaria
17. Mathieu Cozza
18. Thomas Lacans
19. Louis Grossemy
Officials
Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch judges: Kieren Irons, Daniel Luttringer
Senior review official: Chris Butler
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