France vs Fiji: Kickoff, Confirmed Lineups and Nations Championship Stakes — Nov. 7, 2026

Last checked: November 07, 2026, 04:45 CET (UTC+01:00); equivalent to November 07, 2026, 03:45 UTC.

France vs Fiji is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 9:10 p.m. in Lyon, France (Central European Time, CET, UTC+01:00), or 20:10 UTC. Groupama Stadium in Lyon-Décines hosts the Nations Championship Round 4 match, with Antoine Dupont captaining France against Tevita Ikanivere's Fiji. The fixture and kickoff are confirmed by the French Rugby Federation's official match listing and the Nations Championship fixture list.

At the time of this check, kickoff is still ahead and no final result is available. This is a pre-match report covering the announced teams, match officials and potential tournament consequences. A score or a match winner should not be inferred from a lineup announcement or an unstarted match page.

Destaques

• Kickoff: Saturday, November 7, at 9:10 p.m. Lyon CET (UTC+01:00) / 20:10 UTC, at Groupama Stadium.
• Captains: Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont leads France; hooker Tevita Ikanivere captains Fiji.
• Key selection: Romain Ntamack starts alongside Dupont; Nathan Hughes is named at No. 8 for Fiji.
• What is at stake: Round 4 influences each hemisphere's final ranking before the November 27–29 Finals Weekend.

What is the France vs Fiji kickoff time and where is the match?

The France–Fiji rugby union Test is part of the inaugural 2026 Nations Championship's fourth round. It will be played at Groupama Stadium in the Lyon metropolitan area on November 7. France switched back to standard time in late October, so Lyon is on CET (UTC+01:00), not summer time. Therefore, the confirmed 20:10 UTC start converts to 21:10 CET on the same calendar date.

The World Rugby match center is the appropriate place to check the live match status and later the verified final score. Live information can change after this article's timestamp.

Which players start for France and Fiji?

France starting XV: Dupont and Ntamack in the halves

France coach Fabien Galthié names Antoine Dupont at scrumhalf and Romain Ntamack at flyhalf. Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang occupy the wings, with Théo Attissogbe at fullback. In the forwards, France start François Cros, Paul Boudehent and Cameron Woki in the back row. The announced selection is also reported by Rugby Australia's match preview.

France starters (jersey number): 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros; 2 Maxime Lamothe; 3 Sipili Falatea; 4 Florian Verhaeghe; 5 Mickaël Guillard; 6 Cameron Woki; 7 Paul Boudehent; 8 François Cros; 9 Antoine Dupont (captain); 10 Romain Ntamack; 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey; 12 Yoram Moefana; 13 Kalvin Gourgues; 14 Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang; 15 Théo Attissogbe.

France replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka; 17 Jefferson Poirot; 18 Régis Montagne; 19 Charles Ollivon; 20 Tom Staniforth; 21 Esteban Capilla; 22 Maxime Lucu; 23 Émilien Gailleton. Capilla could make his first senior international appearance if brought on; selection on the bench alone does not establish that a debut has taken place.

Fiji starting XV: Ikanivere leads, Hughes at No. 8

Fiji's side includes captain Tevita Ikanivere at hooker and Nathan Hughes at No. 8. Simione Kuruvoli and Isikeli Rabitu form the halfback combination, while Salesi Rayasi starts at fullback. This is a dangerous lineup in space, although how much room Fiji can create against France's defensive line remains an on-field question rather than a known outcome.

Fiji starters (jersey number): 1 Eroni Mawi; 2 Tevita Ikanivere (captain); 3 Luke Tagi; 4 Mesake Vocevoce; 5 Isoa Nasilasila; 6 Pita-Gus Sowakula; 7 Kitione Salawa; 8 Nathan Hughes; 9 Simione Kuruvoli; 10 Isikeli Rabitu; 11 Jiuta Wainiqolo; 12 Vinaya Habosi; 13 Iosefo Masi; 14 Selestino Ravutaumada; 15 Salesi Rayasi.

Fiji replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama; 17 Peni Ravai; 18 Inoke Ravuiwasa; 19 Peceli Yato; 20 Elia Canakaivata; 21 Frank Lomani; 22 Ben Volavola; 23 Sireli Maqala.

These are the announced matchday squads, not a guarantee that every selected player will take the field; last-minute adjustments remain possible.

Who is the referee for France vs Fiji?

Karl Dickson of England is the appointed referee. World Rugby names Damián Schneider of Argentina and Katsuki Furuse of Japan as assistant referees, with Ian Tempest as television match official (TMO) and Leo Colgan as foul play review officer. The appointments can be checked on World Rugby's official match-officials list.

Why does this Nations Championship match matter?

France enter this meeting with a chance to strengthen their position in the Northern Hemisphere standings. Fiji, whose opening three championship fixtures ended in defeats, have an opportunity to improve their place among the Southern Hemisphere teams. The tournament groups northern and southern nations separately for ranking purposes, so the two teams are not simply competing for one place in a single combined table.

The competition consists of six cross-hemisphere rounds: three played in July and three in November. The outcomes determine standings within each hemisphere, and those standings set the matches for the Finals Weekend in London from November 27 to 29. First place in the north meets first in the south in the Grand Final, second meets second, and so on down to sixth. The championship organizer explains the process in its competition guide and Finals Weekend format.

For France, a win would support its push for a high northern seeding before difficult home fixtures against South Africa and Argentina. For Fiji, a win would be an important reversal of its earlier results and could change its eventual southern ranking. Neither result, by itself, settles a final pairing while later rounds remain to be played.

What could decide France vs Fiji on the field?

France's control around the breakdown

With Dupont and Ntamack together, France have an experienced combination to manage territory and the pace of possession. One useful indicator will be whether their pack supplies fast, secure ball after contact. If France slow Fiji's counterattacks and minimize penalties, that could reduce the visitors' opportunities to play in broken field.

Fiji's ball carriers and wide attack

Fiji possess several runners capable of beating defenders one-on-one. The potential advantage is most obvious when they move the ball beyond a congested midfield or return kicks against a disconnected chase. The risk is that ambitious passes under pressure can give France attacking possession in dangerous areas. Those are tactical scenarios to watch, not predictions of tries or a particular score.

Bench usage late in the match

France's replacements include experienced forward options such as Mauvaka and Ollivon. Fiji have additional carriers and backline options, including Yato, Lomani, Volavola and Maqala. When the coaches make substitutions—and which side maintains discipline and set-piece accuracy—could become important as the match progresses.

What happens after France vs Fiji?

France are scheduled to face South Africa on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 9:10 p.m. in Saint-Denis, France (CET, UTC+01:00), equivalent to 20:10 UTC, then Argentina on November 21. Fiji's next scheduled match is against Ireland in Dublin on November 14, followed by Italy on November 21. These fixtures will help determine their respective hemisphere seedings. The dates and schedule are listed by the Nations Championship.

Result tracking: At the article's last check, France–Fiji had not yet kicked off. Once play concludes, the official match center should be consulted for the final score, try scorers, disciplinary decisions and statistics. No final score or post-match analysis is asserted here.

France vs Fiji FAQ

What time does France vs Fiji kick off?

Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 9:10 p.m. in Lyon on CET (UTC+01:00), corresponding to 20:10 UTC.

Where is France vs Fiji being played?

The match is at Groupama Stadium in Lyon-Décines, France, as part of the 2026 Nations Championship's fourth round.

What is the France vs Fiji final score?

No final score was confirmed as of the update timestamp above because the match had not started. Check World Rugby's official match center after full time rather than treating a placeholder score as a result.