Australia vs Samoa Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final
Can Samoa finally beat the Kangaroos on the World Cup stage? The last time they met at a World Cup, Australia won the 2021 Final 30-10.
Now the two teams meet again, this time in Sydney, for a place in the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Final.
Australia vs Samoa is the second Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-final, on Sunday 8 November at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, kicking off at 8:05pm Sydney time (10:05pm Samoa and NZ, 9:05am UK).
Australia won all three pool games, while Samoa finished second in Pools B and C despite losing 20-18 to Tonga.
The winner plays New Zealand or Tonga in the Final in Brisbane on 15 November. The Jillaroos play Fiji at the same ground earlier that evening.
Below, you’ll find kick-off times, team news, the head-to-head record, our prediction, TV channels and tickets.
Quick Answer: Australia vs Samoa Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final
- Date: Sunday 8 November 2026
- Kick-off: 8:05pm Sydney, 10:05pm Samoa and NZ, 9:05am UK
- Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Stage: Semi-final 2. The winner plays New Zealand or Tonga in the Final
- Form: Australia won 3, lost 0; Samoa won 2, lost 1
- Last World Cup meeting: Australia 30-10 Samoa, 2021 Final
- Watch: Seven and 7plus (Australia), Sky Sport (NZ), Premier Sports (UK)
What Time Is Australia vs Samoa?
Australia vs Samoa kicks off at 8:05pm AEDT on Sunday 8 November. Some fans search for it as Kangaroos vs Samoa.
| Where you are | Kick-off time |
|---|---|
| Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra | 8:05pm Sunday |
| Brisbane | 7:05pm Sunday |
| Perth | 5:05pm Sunday |
| Samoa | 10:05pm Sunday |
| New Zealand | 10:05pm Sunday |
| UK | 9:05am Sunday |
Fans in Apia get a late-night kick-off, while UK fans can watch it over Sunday breakfast.
The Jillaroos vs Fiji women’s semi-final kicks off at 5:45pm at the same ground, and one ticket covers both games.
Both semi-finals are on our Rugby League World Cup semi-finals page.
Australia vs Samoa Team Lists
Team lists for the semi-finals are due early in match week. We’ll add both 17s here as soon as they’re named.
Samoa five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita limped off with a hamstring injury against Tonga and looks set to miss out, Fox Sports reported.
Ronald Volkman, who scored a try off the bench against Tonga, is likely to partner Jarome Luai in the halves.
Australia have been without Nathan Cleary for the whole tournament, but they’ve won all three games without him.
Australia Players to Watch
Tom Trbojevic is the joint top try scorer at the World Cup, with seven tries, including two hat-tricks.
Jack Bostock has six, after a hat-trick on debut in the opener against New Zealand.
Reece Walsh was Player of the Match against the Cook Islands. See every try scorer on our Rugby League World Cup top try scorers page.
Samoa Players to Watch
Sua Fa’alogo has six tries, including four against France, and he nearly won the Tonga game at the death.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has four tries from fullback, and Brian To’o scored twice against Tonga.
Captain Jarome Luai runs the attack, and Francis Manuleleua was Player of the Match against both France and PNG.
Australia vs Samoa Head to Head
The last time these teams met at a World Cup was the 2021 Final, played at Old Trafford in Manchester in November 2022.
Australia won 30-10 to lift the trophy, after Samoa had beaten hosts England 27-26 in golden point in the semi-final.
That run made Samoa the first Pacific Island nation to reach a men’s World Cup final.
Many of the same Samoa stars are back, including Luai, To’o, Crichton and Junior Paulo, so this is Samoa’s chance to make up for that Final.
How Did Australia and Samoa Reach the Semi-Finals?
Australia won Pool A with three wins: 24-22 over New Zealand, 36-22 over Fiji and 66-6 over the Cook Islands.
Samoa beat France 78-4 and PNG 64-6, then lost 20-18 to Tonga on 1 November.
Their huge points difference of +130 kept them second, ahead of England on +86.
Under the draw, the Pool A winner plays the Pools B and C runner-up. See the final tables on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Australia vs Samoa Prediction
Australia are the defending champions, and they’ve been the most complete team at this World Cup.
Samoa have more strike power out wide than anyone, with Fa’alogo, To’o and Tabuai-Fidow all in form.
But losing Harris-Tavita in the halves is a big blow, especially against the Kangaroos’ defence.
Our pick is Australia by 12 points or more, with Samoa likely to score some spectacular tries along the way.
Where Is Australia vs Samoa Being Played?
The match is at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park, Sydney. It holds about 42,500 fans.
It hosted the tournament’s opener, Australia vs New Zealand, in front of 41,255 fans on 15 October.
The light rail from Central station to Moore Park is the easiest way to get there.
It’s a double-header, with Jillaroos vs Fiji at 5:45pm before the men’s semi-final.
What Channel Is Australia vs Samoa On?
The semi-final is live in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
- Australia: Free on the Seven Network and 7plus
- New Zealand: Sky Sport
- UK and Ireland: Premier Sports (subscription)
In Australia, you can stream it free on 7plus with a free account.
Watching from abroad? A VPN like NordVPN keeps your home streaming account working and protects you on public Wi-Fi. (We may earn a commission.)
Skip “free stream” links on social media, as many are scams built to steal your details.
Australia vs Samoa Tickets
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster, the official seller.
One ticket covers both the Jillaroos vs Fiji and Australia vs Samoa semi-finals.
A Kangaroos semi-final in Sydney is likely to sell out, so buy early and only from Ticketmaster.
Flying in for the game? An Australia eSIM from Airalo keeps your phone working from the moment you land.
Australia vs Samoa Result
The match hasn’t been played yet. It kicks off on Sunday 8 November.
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Australia v Samoa, 8 November 2026 | To be played |
We’ll add the score and try scorers straight after full-time.
The winner goes to the Final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November.
Match Updates
1 November 2026: Page published after Samoa’s second place was confirmed, with kick-off times, team news, head to head and our prediction.
Next update: both team lists, once they’re named in match week.
After full-time on 8 November, we’ll add the score and who goes through to the Final.
Australia vs Samoa: FAQ
Here are quick answers to the questions fans ask most about this semi-final.
Each answer starts with the key fact, so you can find it fast.
For full details, see the sections above.
When is Australia vs Samoa?
Sunday 8 November 2026 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Kick-off is 8:05pm Sydney time.
It’s the second Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-final.
What time is Australia vs Samoa in Samoa?
10:05pm on Sunday 8 November in Samoa.
It’s also 10:05pm in New Zealand.
In the UK, it’s 9:05am Sunday.
Who won the last Australia vs Samoa World Cup game?
Australia beat Samoa 30-10 in the 2021 World Cup Final.
It was played at Old Trafford in November 2022.
It was Samoa’s first men’s World Cup final.
Who plays the winner of Australia vs Samoa?
The winner plays New Zealand or Tonga in the Final.
New Zealand and Tonga meet in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November.
The Final is at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 15 November.
Conclusion
Australia vs Samoa on Sunday 8 November in Sydney is the second Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-final.
It’s a rematch of the 2021 Final, with Australia unbeaten and Samoa full of strike power out wide.
The winner goes to the Final in Brisbane on 15 November, against New Zealand or Tonga.
Bookmark this page for the team lists and the result.
Want our World Cup updates first? Add RLWC 2026 Guide as a preferred source on Google.
