Watch Japan v France in the Nations Championship 2026 as the Brave Blossoms welcome Fabien Galthié’s men to Tokyo.
Japan made a stunning start to the Nations Championship with a win over Italy on the opening weekend, but were brought back down to earth last week with a 36-20 defeat to Ireland. For France, they were glad to welcome their stars back to the XV last week, with an impressive second-half display carrying them to a 42-26 victory over Australia.
– Date: Saturday 18 July, 2026
– Kick-off time: 9.40am BST / 10.40am CET / 10.40am SAST / 6.40pm AEST / 8.40pm NZST / 4.40am EDT / 1.40am PDT
– FREE STREAMS: Virgin Media Play (Ireland), ITVX (UK), TF1+ (France)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
You can watch Japan v France live streams for free in Ireland, the UK, US and France. This article will tell you everything you need to know to tune in from anywhere, including information on how you can use a VPN to watch your usual coverage if you’re away from home.
How to watch Japan v France for free
You can watch Japan vs France for free in France, the UK, US and Ireland this Saturday:
- France: Japan vs France is available on the TF1+ streaming service for free. Coverage starts at 10.20am CET, with kick-off at 10.40am.
- Ireland: In Ireland, Japan vs France will be free-to-view on Virgin Media Play.
- United Kingdom: Japan v France is available on ITV4 and the ITVX streaming service. Coverage starts at 9.20am BST, with kick-off at 9.40am.
- United States: World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV will show Japan vs France for free in the US.
Travelling overseas this weekend? Residents of the UK, Ireland, France and the US can still watch their usual free streaming service with the help of a good VPN. Keep reading to find out more…
Stream Japan v France from anywhere
Abroad for Japan vs France? Using a VPN is a smart way to avoid the geo-blocking restrictions that may prevent you from tuning in to Japan v France when you’re overseas. There are plenty of good VPNs you can buy, but the tech experts at TechRadar reckon NordVPN is currently top of the league
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Other Japan v France live streams around the world
- Australia: Stan Sport will show Japan vs France in Australia. You’ll need a $20 per month Stan Sport plan (in addition to your base Stan subscription, which starts at $12) to tune in. The game kicks off at 6.40pm AEST this evening.
- South Africa: SuperSport will be your destination for Japan v France live streams in South Africa, and is available via DStv and streaming. The match gets underway at 10.40am SAST this morning.
- New Zealand: In New Zealand, Japan v France is on Sky Sport, which costs $54.99 per month for a streaming subscription ($29.99 day options are also available). Kick-off is 8.40pm NZST tonight.
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