Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final
Can Fetu Samoa stop the Kiwi Ferns and reach a Women’s World Cup final? They’ve already made history just by getting this far.
Samoa are in their first ever Women’s Rugby League World Cup semi-final, while New Zealand won all three of their group games.
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa is the first Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-final, on Saturday 7 November at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, kicking off at 5:45pm Sydney time (7:45pm NZ and Samoa, 6:45am UK).
The winner plays the Jillaroos or Fiji in the Final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November.
It’s the first game of a double-header, with New Zealand vs Tonga in the men’s semi-final afterwards.
Below, you’ll find kick-off times, both teams’ form, players to watch, our prediction, TV channels and tickets.
Quick Answer: Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final
- Date: Saturday 7 November 2026
- Kick-off: 5:45pm Sydney, 7:45pm NZ and Samoa, 6:45am UK
- Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
- Stage: Women’s semi-final 1. The winner plays the Jillaroos or Fiji in the Final
- Form: New Zealand won 3, lost 0; Samoa won 2, lost 1
- Top try scorers: Stacey Waaka (6) for New Zealand, Freedom Crichton Ropati (4) for Samoa
- Watch: Seven and 7plus (Australia), Sky Sport (NZ), Premier Sports (UK)
What Time Is Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa?
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa kicks off at 5:45pm AEDT on Saturday 7 November. Some fans search for it as New Zealand women vs Samoa.
| Where you are | Kick-off time |
|---|---|
| Sydney and Newcastle | 5:45pm Saturday |
| Brisbane | 4:45pm Saturday |
| New Zealand | 7:45pm Saturday |
| Samoa | 7:45pm Saturday |
| UK | 6:45am Saturday |
It’s an evening kick-off in New Zealand and Samoa, and an early Saturday start in the UK.
Women’s World Cup games last 70 minutes, so expect full-time at around 7pm Sydney time.
Both women’s semi-finals are on our Rugby League World Cup semi-finals page.
Kiwi Ferns 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.
Ricky Henry coaches the Kiwi Ferns, with Georgia Hale and Raecene McGregor as co-captains.
Frank Pritchard coaches Fetu Samoa, who are back at the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2008.
See both squads on our Kiwi Ferns squad and Fetu Samoa squad pages.
Kiwi Ferns Players to Watch
Stacey Waaka has six tries, the second most at the World Cup, and she was Player of the Match against Fiji.
Apii Nicholls scored four against France, and Mackenzie Wiki also has four tries.
Mele Hufanga was Player of the Match in the 92-0 win over France.
Samoa Players to Watch
Freedom Crichton Ropati scored a hat-trick and was Player of the Match in the 24-6 win over England.
Tyra Ekepati and Mercedez Taulelei-Siala have three tries each, and Amber Hall was Player of the Match against Wales.
Pauline Piliae-Rasabale kicked a Samoa record 10 goals against Wales, and she has 24 points.
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Form
New Zealand topped Group B with three wins, beating Fiji 18-12, France 92-0 and PNG 40-12.
| Team | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Won 18-12 v Fiji | Won 92-0 v France | Won 40-12 v PNG |
| Samoa | Lost 0-40 v Australia | Won 76-0 v Wales | Won 24-6 v England |
Samoa lost their opener 40-0 to the Jillaroos, then bounced back to beat Wales and England.
Their 24-6 win over England sealed second place in Group A and knocked England out. See every score on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Prediction
New Zealand are unbeaten and have scored 150 points in three games, so they go in as clear favourites.
Samoa have momentum after beating England, and they’ll have huge support from Pacific fans in Newcastle.
The Ferns were pushed hard by Fiji in Round 1, winning by only six points, so they can be tested.
Our pick is the Kiwi Ferns by 14 points or more, with Samoa competitive for most of the game.
Where Is Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Being Played?
The match is at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, home of the Newcastle Knights. It holds about 30,000 fans.
It’s the first game of a double-header, with New Zealand vs Tonga at 8:05pm.
Newcastle is about two hours north of Sydney by car or train.
Get there early, as the men’s semi-final is likely to draw a big crowd later in the evening.
What Channel Is Kiwi Ferns 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.
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Tickets
Tickets start from $19 AUD for adults and $49 for families on Ticketmaster, the official seller.
One ticket covers both the women’s and men’s semi-finals at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Buy only from Ticketmaster, as resale tickets from other sites may not be valid.
Flying in for the game? An Australia eSIM from Airalo keeps your phone working from the moment you land.
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa Result
The match hasn’t been played yet. It kicks off on Saturday 7 November.
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| New Zealand v Samoa (women), 7 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 with kick-off times, both teams’ form, players to watch and our prediction.
Next update: both team lists, once they’re named in match week.
After full-time on 7 November, we’ll add the score and who goes through to the Final.
Kiwi Ferns 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 Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa?
Saturday 7 November 2026 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
Kick-off is 5:45pm Sydney time.
It’s the first women’s semi-final.
Have Samoa ever reached a Women’s World Cup semi-final before?
No. This is Fetu Samoa’s first Women’s World Cup semi-final.
They qualified by beating Wales 76-0 and England 24-6.
It’s their first Women’s World Cup since 2008.
Who plays the winner of Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa?
The winner plays the Jillaroos or Fiji in the Final.
The Jillaroos and Fiji meet in Sydney on Sunday 8 November.
The women’s Final is at Suncorp Stadium on 15 November, at 4:10pm Sydney time.
Conclusion
Kiwi Ferns vs Samoa on Saturday 7 November in Newcastle is the first Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-final.
New Zealand are unbeaten and favourites, but Samoa arrive with momentum and a place in history already secured.
The winner meets the Jillaroos or Fiji in the Final in Brisbane on 15 November.
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.
