Australia to host 2026 Rugby League World Cup, several games to also be played in Papua New Guinea
The host nations of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup have been announced in what is set to be a history-making tournament featuring 26 teams.
Australia will host the 2026 rugby league World Cup.
The history-making tournament will feature 26 teams – 10 men’s teams, eight for women and eight in the wheelchair event.
And the ARL Commission will take several World Cup games to Papua New Guinea to strengthen international rugby league throughout the Pacific.
The International Rugby League Board announced the decision on Wednesday night with the tournament to run through October and November.
The yet-to-be-finalised schedule is expected to include double-headers and triple-headers to give fans value for outlay.
IRL board members decided to reduce the men’s tournament from 16 teams to 10.
“The Rugby League World Cup is the pinnacle of the game’s international calendar and Australia is set to deliver the most competitive and culturally diverse World Cup ever staged,” said ARLC chairman Peter V’landys.
“We will host matches across Australia and in Papua New Guinea to showcase the game’s best players to inspire the next generation, and cement rugby league as the number one sport in the Pacific.”
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 last World Cup in England during 2022.
The remaining two places will be decided at the inaugural 2025 IRL World Series 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.
Venues and dates for the World Cup are yet to be finalised.
America and Canada had previously been slated to host the 2025 World Cup before France was awarded the event but both bids collapsed amid financial concerns.
“Rugby League has never been stronger in Australia and the Pacific, with sold-out stadiums, record television ratings and much excitement about Pacific expansion,” said IRL chairman Troy Grant.
“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 women’s 2026 World Cup qualifying process has started with France and Wales securing berths alongside Australia, England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
A seventh team will come from the Pacific, with Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga to play a qualifying tournament at the end-of-season Pacific Championships.
Australia previously hosted men’s World Cup tournaments in 2008 and 2017.
It will be the final time the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments will be staged at the same time in a World Cup with the three events to be held individually post-2026.
“The condensed format at RLWC-2026 will mean every single match is competitive, while the possibility of some games being played as double or triple headers represents great value for fans wanting to see the best rugby league talent on the planet,” Grant said.
“The culture, diversity and competitiveness of the nations involved will capture the attention of global audiences and grow the game ever further.”
The format for deciding the wheelchair qualification is yet to be finalised.
Australia, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales and USA competed at the Wheelchair World Cup in England in 2022.
More Coverage
NRL Rich 100: Walsh among nine snubbed Maroons stars
Reece Walsh is among a posse of Queensland Origin stars that didn’t make the 2024 Rich 100 list, in proof that big bucks doesn’t guarantee big-name performances. See the analysis of notable omissions and underperforming inclusions.
Why Broncos review must be an open book for fans
The analysis of Brisbane’s horror finish to the 2024 season needs to be an open book. And no, it’s not as unfair as players would have you believe, writes PAMELA WHALEY.