FRANCE’s next domestic season will kick off on the weekend of 5-6 December, the French Rugby League Federation will announce on Tuesday.

The current season started on 27 September but for some months the Federation has been seeking to align their Super XIII competition with the British Super League and Championship. The vast majority of club chairmen in the top two tiers were in favour of the change.

The switch in the forthcoming 2026-27 season is partly brought about by the World Cup in October and November taking place in Australia, New Zealand and PNG. In 2028, the season is expected to move to a March-October schedule.

The idea has been tried before, in 2017-18 before being abandoned in favour of a traditional calendar.

This time there seems to be a determination to make it work, particularly on the part of Federation chairman Dominique Baloup, who was recently in Sydney, where, accompanied by head coach Laurent Frayssinous and director of rugby Trent Robinson, he met NRL chief executive Andre Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V’Landys.

Both are keen to have a strong French team on the international stage and a professional domestic competition and may be prepared to offer advice and practical help.