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Watch Samoa vs France free at Rugby League World Cup 2026
The Rugby League World Cup 2026 opens with Samoa and France at Western Sydney Stadium on October 16, with free streams available in Australia and paid options worldwide.
In brief
The Rugby League World Cup 2026 opens with Samoa and France at Western Sydney Stadium on October 16, with free streams available in Australia and paid options worldwide. Samoa faces France in the opening match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup on October 16 at Western Sydney Stadium, with free viewing in Australia…
Samoa and France open the tournament
Samoa faces France in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup at Western Sydney Stadium on Friday, October 16. Kick-off is two forty-five am ET, seven forty-five am BST, five forty-five pm AEDT.
Samoa's chance to prove 2021 was no fluke
Samoa reached the 2021 Rugby League World Cup final as runners-up, shocking hosts England with a Golden Point win in the semi-finals before losing to Australia. They have won only one international game since.
Samoa's NRL stars ready to perform
Samoa's squad includes NRL stars Jarome Luai, Brian To'o and Stephen Crichton, who will be keen to reverse their poor run of form at the first time of asking in this tournament.
France's long wait for a win over Samoa
France has not beaten Samoa in a rugby league international for 20 years.The number eleven-ranked team in the world will need something special to upset Samoa and give themselves a chance of reaching the knockouts.
France's Super League cohesion
France boasts NRL talent in Rabbitohs player Latrell Siegwalt. Twelve of their matchday nineteen squad play for either Catalans Dragons or Toulouse Olympique in the Super League, which could provide cohesion for an upset.
Free viewing in Australia
Every game of the Rugby League World Cup is shown free-to-air on Seven Network and seven plus in Australia. The Samoa vs France match airs on seven mate with live streaming via seven plus.
Paid streams in USA, UK and Canada
Premier Sports shows all eighteen men's games in the USA for twenty-five dollars for a full tournament pass.In the UK, Premier Sports two costs eighteen pounds ninety-nine monthly or one hundred fifty pounds yearly.
New Zealand and VPN options
In New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ shows the match on Sky Sport two.Sky Sport Now subscriptions start at twenty-nine dollars ninety-nine per day or fifty-nine dollars ninety-nine per month.
The key point
Samoa faces France in the opening match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup on October 16 at Western Sydney Stadium, with free viewing in Australia and paid streams in other countries.
