Rugby match between France and World XV at San Mamés

On 22 June, San Mamés will host an international rugby match between the French national team and a World XV. The fixture will give Bilbao's residents a taste of what to expect ahead of The Cathedral welcoming the 2026 European finals.

Tickets for the event are already on sale and Members, Gazte Abonoa and Club Athletic can get a 20% discount when purchasing by using their code and PIN. 

Top-level international test

The French team, third in the World Rugby world ranking and second in the recent Six Nations, will have some of the best players from the Top 14 among their ranks. The match in Bilbao is warm-up ahead of their summer tour of the southern hemisphere, where they'll take on Argentina and Uruguay.

The World XV squad will be led by former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster, who left that post after the 2023 World Cup. The New Zealander will be assisted by Frenchman Patrice Collazo, head coach at Montpellier and previously other Top 14 teams such as La Rochelle, Toulon and Brive.

The squad includes world-class players such as Mako and Billy Vunipola, English brothers who have more than 75 caps for England each, and former England captain Owen Farrell, the 112-times capped fly-half. The Vunipola brothers and Farrell, who can also play at centre, will be joined by two French internationals in fly-half Camille López, who plays for Bayonne and scrum-half Maxime Machenaud.