France make seven changes for RLWC2026 qualifying final against Wales

France and Wales have named their squads for the final European 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Municipal Stadium in Saint Esteve on Saturday, October 26 (kick off 14.40pm, local time).

The winner will progress to the inaugural 2025 World Series as Europe’s representative to face Cook Islands, Jamaica and South Africa, with the two leading teams progressing to the main tournament in Australia and Papua New Guinea. 

France have made seven changes to their 22-man squad with Lambert Belmas, Maxime Stefani, Anthony Marion (Toulouse), Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield) and Hakim Miloudi (Pia) named after being previously unavailable due to ongoing club commitments. 

The hosts suffered further disruption through the late call up on Friday afternoon of Nolan Lopez Buttignol and Lucas Albert to their club side Carcassonne for this weekend’s Super XIII fixture, with Cesar Rouge and Mathieu Laguerre also joining the squad. 

Wales are unchanged from Tuesday’s impressive 48-0 victory over Serbia, with Mark Moxon taking charge of the side in the absence of John Kear who was unable to travel with the squad due to illness and seeking their third consecutive victory after a warm up win early this month over Jamaica. 

The game will be broadcast live on French television and available to view online via https://sportenfrance.com/ and https://viaoccitanie.tv/

Afterwards, Serbia and Ukraine will meet (kick off 17.10pm) to decide third place and look to gain world ranking points. Both will be aiming for improved performances and to leave France with a win, with Ukraine being on the wrong end of a 74-8 victory by the hosts in their opening game.

Serbia have added Partisan’s Steven Stevanovic and Jason Muranka to their squad to replace Jason Coric and Jordan Grant who were withdrawn by their clubs.

Ukraine have named a 20-player squad as Victor Tereszko faces a disciplinary hearing after the first game with Volodymyr Voitov replacing him in the event of a suspension being given. 

The match will be broadcast via the European Rugby League Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/eurorugbyleague 

Tickets for both games remain available via www.ffr13.fr/billetterie/ and cover both games.

FRANCE SQUAD:
Romain Franco (Bradford Bulls), Clement Boyer (Carcassonne XIII), Guillermo Aispuro Bichet, Alrix Da Costa, Theo Fages, Mathieu Laguerre, Arthur Romano, Cesar Rouge (Catalans Dragons), Hugo Salabio (Huddersfield Giants), Mickael Goudemand, Justin Sangare (Leeds Rhinos), Ugo Tison (London Broncos), Hakim Miloudi, (Pia XIII Baroudeur), Lambert Belmas, Anthony Marion, Eloi Pellissier, Maxime Stefani (Toulouse Olympique), Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield Trinity), Tiaki Chan (Wigan Warriors) 

WALES SQUAD: 
Max Clarke (Barrow Raiders), Elliot Kear (Batley Bulldogs), Samual Grice (Castleford Tigers) Harry, Boots, Matt Ross (Cornwall), Curtis Davies (Dewsbury Rams), Connor Davies (Halifax Panthers), Billy Walkley (Keighley Cougars), Ashton Robinson (Leeds Rhinos), Sam Bowring (Midlands Hurricanes), Ben Evans (North Wales Crusaders), Joe Coope-Franklin, Finley Yates (Salford Red Devils), Josh Ralph (St George Illawara), Ant Walker, Rhys Williams (Swinton Lions), Will Evans, Huw Worthington (Whitehaven), Mike Butt, Matty Fozzard (Widnes Vikings).

SERBIA SQUAD: 
Nicholas O'Meley (Burleigh Bears), Nic Cotric (Catalans Dragons), Andrej Mora (Dorcol Tigers), David Nofoaluma, Sasha Popovic (Glebe Dirty Reds), Jake O’Meley (Lakes United Seagulls), Ilija Cotric (Mounties), Jesse Soric (NZ Warriors), Aleksandar Pavlovic, Djordje Krnjeta, Dzavid Jasari, Enis Bibic, Stevan Stevanovic, (Partisan 1953), Marko Jankovic, Milos Calic, Nikola Djuric, Rajko Trifunovic, Vuk Strbac (Red Star), Jason Muranka (unattached)

UKRAINE SQUAD: 
Daniel Janissen (Cardiff Cobras), Jonah Ngaronoa (Glebe Dirty Reds), Yevhen Checheta, Yevhen Davydov, Yevhen Davydov, Anatolii Hrankovskyi, Volodymyr Karpenko, Vitalii Puchkov, Dmytro Semerenko, Oleksandr Shcherbyna, Oleksandr Skorbach, Oleksandr Syvykoz, Mykhailo Troian, Yevhenii Trusov, (Kharkiv Legion XIII), Valentyn Korchak (Lviv Tigers), Victor Tereszko (Queanbeyan Blues), Danylo Vedler (Rivne Giants), Tigris Polata (Southern Suburbs Magpies), Tom Mencinsky (Sydney University RLFC)
Volodymyr Voitov (Kharkiv Legion XIII)