France at the Rugby League World Cup
Every Rugby League World Cup appearance on record for France, aggregated from our full tournament archive.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
France at the Rugby League World Cup: 16 appearances, 0 titles.
Also confirmed for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
About France in rugby league
France — nicknamed "les Chanticleers" — competed in every World Cup from the very first in 1954 (which they hosted) through 2013, reaching finals in 1954 and 1968 without ever winning the title. French rugby league's domestic strength has ebbed and flowed over the decades, and the national team did not qualify for the 2017 or 2021/2022 tournaments before returning for 2026, reflecting a period of rebuilding for the code in a country still much better known internationally for rugby union. French rugby league's history includes a dark chapter under wartime occupation: the collaborationist Vichy government banned the code outright in 1941, confiscating its assets and handing them to rugby union, and even after the ban was lifted post-war the sport was legally barred from calling itself "rugby" in France until 1989 — for decades it was known officially only as "jeu à XIII" (the 13-a-side game).
Sources
| Tournament | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 Rugby League World Cup | France | Runner-up |
| 1957 Rugby League World Cup | Australia | Competed |
| 1960 Rugby League World Cup | Great Britain | Competed |
| 1968 Rugby League World Cup | Australia & New Zealand | Runner-up |
| 1970 Rugby League World Cup | England | Competed |
| 1972 Rugby League World Cup | France | Competed |
| 1975 Rugby League World Cup | No single host — matches played across Australia, England, France, New Zealand and Wales | Competed |
| 1977 Rugby League World Cup | Australia & New Zealand | Competed |
| 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France & Papua New Guinea | Competed |
| 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, France & Papua New Guinea | Competed |
| 1995 Rugby League World Cup | England & Wales | Competed |
| 2000 Rugby League World Cup | England, France, Ireland, Scotland & Wales | Competed |
| 2008 Rugby League World Cup | Australia | Competed |
| 2013 Rugby League World Cup | England, Wales, France & Ireland | Competed |
| 2017 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea | Competed |
| 2021 Rugby League World Cup | England | Competed |
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