Les Bleus host the Flying Fijians in Lyon for Round 4 of the Nations Championship 2026, marking a crucial fixture as the tournament reaches its latter stages. France currently sits at the top of the Northern Hemisphere table at the halfway stage, holding two wins and one loss. Fabien Galthié's side secured heavy July victories over Australia and Japan, followed by a narrow 34-32 defeat against New Zealand that cemented their status as the dominant Northern Hemisphere squad. Meanwhile, Fiji enters the matchup having lost all three of their previous games against Wales, England, and Scotland, while playing technical home games in each opponent's respective country.
Key takeaways
- France hosts Fiji in Lyon for Round 4 of the Nations Championship 2026.
- France leads the Northern Hemisphere table with two wins and one loss.
- Fiji is seeking its first tournament win after losses to Wales, England, and Scotland.
- The match is available free-to-air on specific channels in the US, UK, Ireland, and France.
Team news and squad updates for the clash in Lyon
Galthié faces notable injury challenges heading into the November internationals against Fiji, South Africa, and Argentina. Confirmed absentees for the French squad include Thomas Ramos, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, and Matthieu Jalibert. However, star scrum-half Antoine Dupont returns to captain the side, relegating Maxime Lucu to the bench after Lucu deputized brilliantly earlier in the tournament. Louis Bielle-Biarrey also secures a spot in the starting lineup for Les Bleus alongside teammates such as Théo Attissogbe, Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang, Kalvin Gourgues, Yoram Moefana, and Romain Ntamack.
Fiji recently appointed South Africa's 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White, who began his tenure with a 34-28 victory over Japan late last month. The Flying Fijians feature a dangerous back three composed of Jiuta Wainiqolo, Selestino Ravutaumada, and Salesi Rayasi. The forward pack faces a rigorous test under captain Tevita Ikanivere, bolstered by the addition of former England number eight Nathan Hughes, who brings vital international experience after switching nationality.
Global broadcasting and free-to-air streaming options
Fans in select regions can access free-to-air coverage of the France versus Fiji showdown. In the United States, viewers can tune in via RugbyPass TV using the website or app, which supports Chromecast, Airplay, AppleTV, and Android TV. UK supporters can watch free on ITV1 and ITVX, provided they have a valid account, TV license, and UK postcode. In Ireland, Virgin Media One and the Virgin Media Play platform provide free live coverage, while viewers in France can stream the match through TF1+.
International viewers located outside these free-to-air broadcast regions can utilize virtual private network services like NordVPN to access their home country's streaming platforms. Other regions require paid subscription services to catch the action. Fans in Australia can watch via Stan Sport, which costs AU$20 per month on top of a base subscription starting at AU$9.99 per month. New Zealand viewers can tune in via Sky Sport 3 NZ or Sky Sport Now, with passes starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month. South African audiences can watch on Supersport via a DStv access package starting at Rs99 per month for the streaming version, while Canadian fans can access Premier Sports through a CA$29.99 monthly pass, a CA$79.99 six-month pass, or a CA$139.99 annual subscription.
Comments