List of when every club is heading to France in 2023

For many fans, the release of the fixture list prompts a scramble to check the best deals for getting over to support their team in France.

Toulouse’s relegation back to the Championship means that all 24 English clubs in the top two divisions will travel across the Channel, the most journeys being made since the last full season before COVID in 2019.

Keighley fans will be looking forward to their first trip since June 2016, while Leigh and Hull KR will both visit Catalans twice in 2023.

MORE: Championship and League 1 2023 fixtures revealed

Despite the regular journeys between here and France throughout the year, direct flights are still as rare as hen’s teeth.

We’ve tried our best to price up return flights for each game below, with Manchester to Carcassonne being the most obvious route to Toulouse from the north west. No doubt fans of Newcastle, York and Whitehaven will have been frustrated at the lack of options in terms of flights for February and March.

Carcassonne is a potential destination for the Catalans away days too, though Girona and Barcelona airports are also within reach. You can get direct to Perpignan from Birmingham and London Stansted too, if you prefer to do your excess travelling this side.

The upcoming IMG review is going to put the onus on Catalans and Toulouse to pay the travel costs of their opponent clubs, something which Toulouse have done anyway in their time in the structure. That is until they can contribute to the central funding pool, either through broadcast or other commercial deals.

But it seems strange that after 17 years of cross-Channel competition, rugby league hasn’t been able to attract sponsorship from the travel industry, whether it be airlines, hotels or otherwise.

Even just taking in to account players and officials, there will likely be around 80 flights every week from the start of February until the end of September. At a very modest average of 100 fans per club, there’s another 2,400 flights and hotel stays too.

Of course, in the current cost of living crisis, the overseas trip may have to be culled. Indeed, some of the return flights priced up below are more expensive than an entire season ticket for the same club.

When is your club heading to France?

(all prices based on Manchester to Carcassonne Fri-Mon unless stated otherwise)

Castleford Tigers

Saturday 1st April – £188

Huddersfield Giants

Saturday 8th July – £189

Hull FC

Friday 3rd March – £115 (Fri-Sun)

Hull KR

Saturday 18th March – £146 (Fri-Sun)
Saturday 10th June – £116

Leeds Rhinos

Saturday 16th September – £132

Leigh Leopards

Saturday 25th February – £211 (Fri-Sun)
Saturday 24th June – £230

Salford Red Devils

Saturday 29th July – £239

St Helens

Friday 5th May – £139

Wakefield Trinity

Friday 26th May – £329

Warrington Wolves

Saturday 8th April – £302

Wigan Warriors

Saturday 26th August – £427

Barrow Raiders

Saturday 26th August – £427

Batley Bulldogs

Saturday 15th July – £175

Bradford Bulls

Saturday 24th June – £230

Featherstone Rovers

Saturday 16th September – £132

Halifax Panthers

Saturday 3rd June – £178

Keighley Cougars

Saturday 29th July – £239

London Broncos

Friday 7th April – £77 (Thurs-Sun from London Stansted to Toulouse)

Newcastle Thunder

Saturday 11th February – N/A

Sheffield Eagles

Saturday 17th June – £162

Swinton Lions

Saturday 19th August – £218

Whitehaven

Saturday 4th March – N/A

Widnes Vikings

Saturday 1st July – £114

York City Knights

Saturday 18th February – N/A

Will you be making the trip when your club is heading to France? Let us know in the comments below and add any travel tips too!