[3][4] This initially did not happen with Samoa eventually declining their tour invitation on 9 November, in order to play in the returning Rugby League Pacific Championship (a competition which began in 2019 but never had a second edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic) for the 2024 edition.

[5][6][7] On 27 November, Samoa re-engaged talks about the potential test series,[8][9] and on 13 June 2024 the tour was confirmed, but with only a two-match test series (one short of a traditional tour),[1][2] with the hope that the reduced schedule would allow Samoa to compete in the 2024 Rugby League Pacific Championships as well.

[15] The games were the sixth and seventh meetings of the two sides with England winning all previous encounters except for the most recent – the 2021 World Cup semi-final.

Upon the initial planning of the tour, Samoa were above England in the World Rankings (still 3rd and 4th), but a successful 2023 test series against Tonga for England and an unsuccessful 2023 Pacific Championships for Samoa flipped these rankings.

Both matches of the tour were broadcast locally live on BBC Sport in the UK.