Kick-off between England and France at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup is set for 2.35pm AEDT local time in Perth, Australia, on Saturday, October 24.
For those tracking it elsewhere, that's 2.35am ET in the US, 7.35am BST in the UK and 5.35pm AEDT in Sydney.
Both sides arrive needing a result. England lost their opener 30-12 to Tonga, a scoreline that has them staring at an early exit unless they turn things around fast. Brian McDermott has kept his squad unchanged for this one, meaning Mikey Lewis stays out of the matchday 19 while AJ Brimson continues at fullback and Jack Welsby sits among the interchanges. France had it worse, going down 78-4 to Samoa. Laurent Frayssinous has reshuffled his backline in response, starting Toulouse's Thomas Lacans at five-eighth, moving Romeo Tropis into the centers and shifting Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet out to the wing. Ben Garcia captains from lock.
Where to watch
Coverage splits between free-to-air and subscription services depending on where you are.
Country | Channel or service | Free or paid --- | --- | --- Australia | Seven Network / 7plus | Free United States | Premier Sports | Paid ($25 for a full tournament pass) New Zealand | Sky Sport NZ (Sky Sport 2) | Paid (NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month) United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1 | Paid (£18.99 per month or £150 per year) Canada | Premier Sports | Paid (CA$29.99 per month)
Free options
Australia is the only market where this one is free. Seven Network is showing every match of the tournament, with live streaming through 7plus for anyone who sets up an account with a valid Australian postcode. Everywhere else listed above, watching means a subscription, whether that's a standalone Premier Sports pass or an add-on through an existing Sky TV, Virgin Media or Prime Video package in the UK.
What to expect
This is officially a Pool B/C fixture, but given both teams' openers it plays more like a survival match. England have the historical edge by a wide margin, having won 44 of 53 meetings between the two nations with France taking seven and two games finishing level. The last time they met, a one-off Test in June 2024, England won 40-8.
That head-to-head record won't count for much if either side repeats last week's form. England need, as the saying goes, nothing less than a heavy win to steady their semi-final hopes. France, after conceding 78 points in a single match, will be looking simply to show some resistance.
Updates on team news and in-game moments are expected on the tournament's official Instagram and Facebook accounts, @RugbyLeagueWorldCup, through kick-off and beyond.
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