The International Rugby League have confirmed their updated rankings, with the draw for the 2026 World Cup set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Samoa are the big improvers in both the men’s and women’s game after strong performances during the Pacific Championships.
In the men’s game, they have improved to fourth place ahead of Tonga, who now sit fifth, while the women’s Samoan side has moved from 12th to 5th.
Australia remain the world number one for both genders, while New Zealand are ahead of England for spots two and three in both sets of rankings.
In the men’s rankings, Samoa and Tonga, as mentioned, round out the top five, while Papua New Guinea, Fiji, France and the Cook Islands are all World Cup bound and take the next spots.
Lebanon are the other team in the World Cup; however, they have now fallen to 21st spot after losing to Italy without any NRL players. Serbia have instead taken tenth spot in the rankings after winning Division B of the European Championship.
Elsewhere, Ukraine have moved to 12th spot after winning Division C in Europe, remaining behind the Netherlands (11th), but ahead of Wales, Italy and Greece in 13th, 14th and 15th respectively.
In the women’s game, Samoa’s move to fifth, and France retaining fifth, means Papua New Guinea and Wales move down to sixth and seventh spot respectively, while Ireland, the Cook Islands and Fiji round out the top ten, with Canada, Nigeria, Greece and Tonga the teams immediately outside the top ten.
Fiji’s move to tenth comes after they won the women’s World Series to qualify for the 2026 World Cup against Nigeria, Canada and Ireland.
Men’s rankings
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Samoa
5. Tonga
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Fiji
8. France
9. Cook Islands
10. Serbia
Women’s rankings
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. France
5. Samoa
6. Papua New Guinea
7. Wales
8. Ireland
9. Cook Islands
10. Fiji