Host nation, format and qualifiers confirmed for 2026 Rugby League World Cup

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The host venue has been confirmed for the next Rugby League World Cup, including men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments.

Australia will host the event in October and November, 2026, but some matches will be played in Papua New Guinea. England, captained by Leeds Rhinos’ Tom Halliwell, are the wheelchair champions and Australia hold the men’s and women’s trophies.

RLWC2026 will feature 10 men’s, eight women’s and eight wheelchair teams and International Rugby League chair Troy Grant insisted it “promises to be the best and most competitive ever staged”. He said: “On behalf of the IRL Board I would like to congratulate ARLC [Australian Rugby League Commission] chair Peter V’landys, the ARLC Board, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and his team on the quality of their bid and I have every confidence that they will deliver the best World Cup on record.

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“We have all been impressed by the ARLC’s ventures into Las Vegas, led by Peter and Andrew and have no doubt that they will elevate the Rugby League World Cup to a new level. “Rugby league has never been stronger in Australia and the Pacific, with sold-out stadiums, record television ratings and much excitement about the possibility of a team from Papua New Guinea joining the NRL.

England captain Tom Halliwell, of Leeds Rhinos, lifts the Wheelchair World Cup trophy after victory over France in the final two years ago. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.comEngland captain Tom Halliwell, of Leeds Rhinos, lifts the Wheelchair World Cup trophy after victory over France in the final two years ago. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com
England captain Tom Halliwell, of Leeds Rhinos, lifts the Wheelchair World Cup trophy after victory over France in the final two years ago. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com

“The 2026 World Cup in Australia, with matches to be played in Papua New Guinea, will see the rise of the game in the Pacific reach greater heights and ensure Rugby League is the number one sport in the region.”

The number of teams has been reduced from the tournament held in England two years ago and Grant claimed: “The condensed format at RLWC2026 will mean every single match is competitive.”

Australia, Samoa, New Zealand, England, Lebanon, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea have already qualified for the men’s tournament after reaching the quarter-final stage of the previous competition.

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The remaining two berths are set to be decided at the inaugural IRL World Series in 2025, between Cook Islands (Asia-Pacific), Jamaica (Americas), South Africa (Middle East Africa) and the winner of the European qualifying tournament later this year, featuring France, Serbia, Wales and Ukraine.

Kezie Apps, of Australia, lifts the Women'sWorld Cup trophy after victory over New Zealand in the 2022 final at Old Trafford. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com.Kezie Apps, of Australia, lifts the Women'sWorld Cup trophy after victory over New Zealand in the 2022 final at Old Trafford. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com.
Kezie Apps, of Australia, lifts the Women'sWorld Cup trophy after victory over New Zealand in the 2022 final at Old Trafford. Picture by Will Palmer/SWpix.com.
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The Women’s IRL 2026 World Cup qualifying process is underway, with France and Wales securing berths alongside Australia, England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea after winning their pools in the recent European qualifying competition.

A seventh team will come from the Pacific, with Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to play a qualifying tournament to coincide with the end-of-season Pacific Championships. A second team from the Pacific qualifiers will receive entry to the 2025 World Series, along with the winners of a two-match series between Kenya and Nigeria for the Middle East Africa berth, the Americas qualifying tournament featuring Canada, Jamaica and USA and European play-off between Greece and Ireland. The winner of World Series 2025 will secure the eighth and final women’s RLWC2026 berth. The format for deciding RLWC2026 wheelchair qualification is yet to be finalised.

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