After a slight delay, referee Ollie Cruickshank gets us started.

Make us proud lads.

Kyle Amor
Former Ireland prop on BBC Two

Rivalries aren’t born overnight, are they? The past two World Cup finals between these two teams have been decided by four points. There’s genuine rivalry here, and I can’t wait. This is incredible. Look at the number of people in here.

Ahead of kick-off we have 13 seconds of respect to celebrate Rugby League as a game for all.

Graham Heffernan: The wheelchair rugby league has been fantastic. My wheelchair-using son has loved it. Well done BBC for showing it.

James Hutchinson: Been looking forward to this all week!

Jon Smalldon: Fantastic to see wheelchair RL live on BBC 2 and in Manchester Central.

Image source, Getty Images

Anthems done, we're nearly there. How are your nerves?

France head coach Sylvain Crismanovich, speaking to BBC Two: "Yes I really do believe it [that England are the favourites]. They’ve got eight players in the squad from 2017, they’ve had an incredible preparation phase before this tournament and they’re playing before a home crowd."

The players are out onto the field. The atmosphere is electric already.

Wheelchair Rugby League is top of the BBC Sport website. If this is your first time watching this sport, you're in for a treat.

Freya Levy
Former England international on BBC Two

France are number one in the world, it’s going to go down to the wire, but they are human, and I think England should dare to dream.

Record crowds of more than 3,000 watched the pool games at the Copper Box Arena in London, and that mark is set to be smashed for tonight's final with more than 5,000 expected in Manchester.

France go into the game chasing a third World Cup title in a row and coach Sylvain Crismanovich was asked by BBC Sport ahead of the game what his side will bring.

"People can expect commitment and heart from this French team," he said.

"We are not excited – we are determined. We only have three players who won in 2017 so for us it is a different group of players who are going for something they have never experienced before.

"England have retained eight players and it seems to be in their mentality to go for revenge. We are about achieving something new with this group of players."

Image source, Getty

England head coach Tom Coyd, speaking to BBC Two: "We’ve got a clear game plan. We’ve been working on it since 2017, and a good part of that squad is still here. That development, and the pressure they’ve bene put under in big games, has put them in a position where we hope they can go and do what we want them to do."

France call on the experience of 59-year-old Gilles Clausells, his nephew Nico and Lionel Alazard, who are all playing at their third World Cup while the pace and flair of Jeremy Bourson and the try-scoring of Mostefa Abassi has also been key.

Throughout the tournament, France have used the kick-chase tactic to superb effect with their devastating speed tormenting defences and yielding plenty of tries. France currently lead the try-scoring charts (77 to England's 68) with Abassi (15 tries) and Bourson (12) prominent.

Joe Coyd is one of the England players who has suffered the disappointment of losing in back-to-back finals and is determined to make it third time lucky on Friday on a team coached by his older brother Tom.

"We are here as ambassadors for the sport and do our best to showcase how great it is, but we are also here to win," he told BBC Sport.

"I’ve lost two World Cup finals with England and that’s not fun.

"We are aware of the job in hand and the size and it will be nothing like we have experienced before but I think we are in the best place we can be.

"France are relentless, clinical in everything they do and will punish every mistake. You have to be really alert against them."

Image source, Getty Images

New to Wheelchair Rugby League? Here's a handy explainer:

Elizabeth Hudson
BBC Sport at Manchester Central

Image source, Getty Images

England coach Tom Coyd will have the luxury of being able to bring Jack Brown in off the bench tonight.

That’s a tactic that has been utilised to good effect in most of England’s games so far during this tournament.

Brown knows what it is like to win a World Cup - and his skill and speed make him a star of the game.

Emma: Top starting 5 and that talent in the bench!

England's Seb Bechara won the wheelchair Golden Boot on Tuesday, chosen ahead of countryman Jack Brown who won the inaugural award in 2019.

The Golden Boot is handed out by the governing body International Rugby League (RLIF) for performances at international level.

Catalans Dragons' Bechara has been a standout performer for England and was also included alongside teammates Brown and Joe Coyd in the team of the tournament decided by the Rugby League World Cup organisers.

Here he is playing a trumpet on Radio 1.

As always you can have your say on any of tonight's action.

Been inspired by the wheelchair team? Let us know by tweeting us using #BBCRL

Elizabeth Hudson
BBC Sport at Manchester Central

The sides are the top two in the world and have been the best at the tournament by a distance, going through the pool stages unbeaten and then both recording comprehensive semi-final wins.

England cruised past Wales 125-22 while France were made work harder against a tough Australia side before winning 84-40.

England played France in two Tests in November 2021, losing both, but they won 62-48 when the sides met in June 2022 in Manchester.

However, on that occasion, Jack Brown was not playing for England while France were without both Clausells as well as Bourson.

Martin Norris
Former England captain on BBC Two

I played this game for 20 years. I could never dream we’d play this game in a venue as amazing as this. The players have been playing at this level for a long time, it’s just that nobody knew about it. The exposure we’ve had is just going to take the sport up another level.