The countdown is on for kick-off on the 2026 Rugby League World Cup which features five Pacific Islands men’s teams and three Pacific Islands women’s teams competing against the world’s best.

Here’s a break down of all you need to know and where you need to go for all of your favourite Pacific Islands teams.

Staged in nine cities in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, the World Cup will feature 53 matches across three tournaments in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Port Moresby, Christchurch, Newcastle, Wollongong, Gold Coast and Townsville.

How the draw worksMEN

The 10-team Men’s tournament will include one pool of four and two pools of three nations.

The pools have been structured to reflect the most recent International Rugby League (IRL) world rankings.

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands  

Group A teams will play each other once and features two Pacific Islands teams – Cook Islands and Fiji – who will both need to get past Australia and New Zealand to keep their chances of advancing alive.

Group B: England, Samoa, Lebanon  

Group C: Tonga, Papua New Guinea, France  

Group B and Group C will each play three matches against the teams in the other pool.

The top two teams from Group A will progress to the semi-finals, while the top two teams from the combined table of Group B and Group C will progress to the semi-finals.

The first Pacific team to play in the men’s competition will be Samoa when they take on France on October 16 at Western Sydney Stadium in Parramatta.

A group of Samoan men wearing blue rugby league uniforms stand on a field in a stadium challenging opposition Toa Samoa perform the siva tau to Pacific rivals Tonga during the Pacific Championships in Brisbane in 2025.(ABC Pacific: Penina Momoisea)WOMEN

There are three Pacific Islands teams who will compete in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup — Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Group A:  Australia, England, Samoa, Wales 

Group B:  New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, Fiji 

The eight-team women’s tournament will feature two groups of four and each team will play three matches against the other teams in their group.

The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals.

The Women’s tournament will kick off on Friday, October 16 with a clash between the Jillaroos and Samoa that will headline a double-header at Western Sydney Stadium with the Samoa v France Men’s match being played first.

The Pacific Islands do not have any teams in the wheelchair tournament but keep an eye out for Corey Cannane who is of Samoan heritage and plays for the Wheelaroos (Australia’s wheelchair team).

A young Samoan man with a taulima holds a rugby ball out to pass while seated in a wheelchair Corey Cannane is of Samoan heritage and represents Australia in wheelchair rugby league.(NRL Photos: Grant Trouville)The Draw — Pacific Islands edition:

All times are Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

Round 1Friday October 16

Double Header 

POOL B MEN

Toa Samoa vs France les Bleus

5.45pm at Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta

POOL A WOMEN

Fetu Samoa vs Australia Jillaroos

8.05pm at Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta

Saturday October 17

Double Header 

POOL B WOMEN 

PNG Orchids vs France Les Tricolores

1.15pm at PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

POOL B MEN 

PNG Kumuls vs Lebanon Cedars

3.25pm at PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

POOL B MEN 

England Lions vs Tonga Rugby League XIII

8.05pm at Perth Rectangular Stadium, Perth

Sunday October 18

Double Header 

POOL B WOMEN

Fiji Bulikula vs New Zealand Kiwi Ferns

1.50pm at Newcastle International Sports Centre, Newcastle

POOL A MEN

Fiji Bati vs Cook Islands Aitu

4.05pm at Newcastle International Sports Centre, Newcastle

A Fijian woman with a traditional Fijian hairstyle has her eyes closed with her arms around another girl as she sings or prays The Fiji Bulikula will make history when they run out in their first game against the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns.  It will be the first time they play in a Rugby League World Cup (Facebook: Fiji Bulikula )Round 2Friday October 23

Double Header 

POOL A WOMEN

Fetu Samoa vs Wales

5.45pm at Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta

POOL B MEN

Tonga Rugby League XIII vs Lebanon Cedars

8.05pm at Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta

Saturday October 24

Double Header

POOL B WOMEN

Fiji Bulikula vs PNG Orchids

1.15pm at PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

POOL B MEN

PNG Kumuls vs Toa Samoa

3.25pm at PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby

Sunday October 25

POOL A MEN

Cook Islands Aitu vs New Zealand Kiwis

4.05pm at Te Kaha Stadium, Christchurch

POOL A MEN

Australia Kangaroos vs Fiji Bati

8.05pm at Brisbane Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane

A PNG man in yellow and red rugby league uniform goes to pass a ball on a rugby field facing men in white Morea Morea in action for the PNG Kumuls in last year’s Pacific Championships in Port Moresby.(ABC Pacific: Jeremiah William)Round 3Friday October 30

Double Header

POOL A WOMEN

Fetu Samoa vs England Lionesses

5.45pm at Wollongong Showground, Wollongong

POOL B MEN

PNG Kumuls vs England Lions

8.05pm at Wollongong Showground, Wollongong

Saturday October 31

Triple header

POOL B WOMEN

Fiji Bulikula vs France Les Tricolores

1.20pm at Robina Stadium, Gold Coast

POOL A MEN

Fiji Bati vs NZ Kiwis

3.30pm at Robina Stadium, Gold Coast

POOL B WOMEN

PNG Orchids vs NZ Kiwi Ferns

5.45pm at Robina Stadium, Gold Coast

POOL A MEN

Cook Islands Aitu vs Australia Kangaroos

8.05pm at North Queensland Stadium, Townsville

Sunday November 1

POOL B MEN

Toa Samoa vs Tonga Rugby League XIII

8.05pm at Western Sydney Stadium, Parramatta

Three young Samoan girls wearing blue rugby league uniforms with lei around their necks smile at the camera Fetu Samoa girls after one of their Pacific Championships games in Sydney.(ABC Pacific: Penina Momoisea)

The Men’s and Women’s 2026 Rugby League World Cup will be live on ABC Radio Australia across the Pacific.

Posted Mon 31 Aug 2026 at 5:43pmMon 31 Aug 2026 at 5:43pmMon 31 Aug 2026 at 5:43pm, updated Mon 31 Aug 2026 at 6:09pmMon 31 Aug 2026 at 6:09pmMon 31 Aug 2026 at 6:09pm