Rugby League World Cup 2026
2026 Tournament Quick Facts
- Hosts: Australia & Papua New Guinea
- Dates: October-November 2026
- Teams: 10 Men's, 8 Women's, 8 Wheelchair
- Defending Champions: Australia (Men's & Women's), France (Wheelchair)
- Format: Three tournaments running simultaneously
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league tournament played between national teams of the Rugby League International Federation. The 2026 tournament will be the 17th edition, hosted by Australia with matches also played in Papua New Guinea.
The tournament was originally scheduled for 2025 in France, but was postponed to 2026 after France withdrew as hosts in May 2023 due to financial concerns. Australia was confirmed as the replacement host in July 2024.
2026 Tournament Details
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup will feature a reduced but more competitive format with 10 men's teams (down from 16 in previous tournaments), alongside 8 women's teams and 8 wheelchair teams. This condensed format aims to ensure every match is competitive and showcase the best rugby league talent.
Matches will be staged at first-class rugby league venues across Australia and in Papua New Guinea, marking the first time PNG has hosted World Cup matches. The schedule is expected to include double-headers and triple-headers to provide added value for fans.
Qualified Teams for 2026
| Team | Qualification Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2022 Quarter-finalist | Defending champions (12-time winners) |
| Samoa | 2022 Quarter-finalist | 2022 runners-up |
| New Zealand | 2022 Quarter-finalist | 2008 champions |
| England | 2022 Quarter-finalist | 2022 semi-finalist |
| Lebanon | 2022 Quarter-finalist | First quarter-final in 2022 |
| Tonga | 2022 Quarter-finalist | 2022 quarter-finalist |
| Fiji | 2022 Quarter-finalist | 2022 quarter-finalist |
| Papua New Guinea | 2022 Quarter-finalist | Co-host nation |
| TBD | 2025 World Series | From: Cook Islands, Jamaica, South Africa, European qualifier |
| TBD | 2025 World Series | From: Cook Islands, Jamaica, South Africa, European qualifier |
| Team | Qualification Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2022 Semi-finalist | Defending champions (3 consecutive titles) |
| England | 2022 Semi-finalist | 2022 semi-finalist |
| New Zealand | 2022 Semi-finalist | 2022 runners-up |
| Papua New Guinea | 2022 Semi-finalist | Co-host nation |
| France | European Qualifier | Won European pool |
| Wales | European Qualifier | Won European pool |
| TBD | Pacific Qualifier | From: Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga |
| TBD | 2025 World Series | Winner of World Series |
| Team | Qualification Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| France | TBD | Defending champions |
| England | TBD | 2022 runners-up |
| Australia | TBD | Host nation |
| Qualification format to be finalized. Expected teams include Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales, USA | ||
Note: The European qualifying tournament for the final men's spot features France, Serbia, Wales and Ukraine. The inaugural IRL World Series in 2025 will determine the final spots across all tournaments.
Tournament History
The first Rugby League World Cup was held in 1954 in France. Since then, 16 tournaments have been held with varying formats. Only three nations have won the men's tournament — Australia (12 times), Great Britain (3 times) and New Zealand (once). See the full list of winners.
Why the Tournament Moved to 2026
The path to the 2026 tournament has been complex:
- 2016: Originally awarded to USA and Canada for 2025
- 2019: USA/Canada withdrew due to financial concerns
- 2022: France awarded hosting rights for 2025
- May 2023: France withdrew, unable to provide government financial guarantees
- August 2023: Tournament rescheduled to 2026 in Southern Hemisphere
- July 2024: Australia and PNG confirmed as hosts
Future Tournaments
The International Rugby League has announced a new tournament structure:
- 2028: First standalone Women's Rugby League World Cup
- 2029: First standalone Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup
- 2030: Next Men's Rugby League World Cup
Trivia
- The original Rugby League World Cup trophy was stolen six days before the 1970 finals and wasn't found until 20 years later in rubbish in Bradford.
- The 2026 tournament will showcase the Pacific region, with the majority of teams expected to come from Pacific nations.
- This will be Australia's third time hosting, after successful tournaments in 2008 and 2017.
Related Pages
- Rugby League World Cup Winners
- Rugby League World Cup Hosts
- Rugby League Major Events
- Rugby League Calendar
- Learn more about the sport of Rugby League.
- Rugby Union Major Events
- Read about other major world sporting events.
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