{"id":303615,"date":"2025-11-23T14:12:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T14:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303615\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T14:12:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T14:12:12","slug":"rugby-league-world-cup-2026-groups-fixtures-confirmed-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303615\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby League World Cup 2026 groups, fixtures confirmed – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fixtures for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup<\/a> have been confirmed by the NRL<\/a> and IRL almost 12 months out from the start of the tournament.<\/p>\n

To be hosted by Australia<\/a>, New Zealand<\/a> and Papua New Guinea<\/a>, ten men’s teams, eight women’s teams, and eight wheelchair teams will travel to face off in the reduced tournament, which was originally slated for 2025 in the USA<\/a>, and then France<\/a>, with both nations pulling out of hosting.<\/p>\n

The tournament will kick-off on Thursday, October 15, less than two full weeks after the completion of the NRL<\/a> season, with Australia<\/a> to play New Zealand<\/a> in Sydney on the men’s side, before Australia<\/a> open the women’s tournament the following evening against Samoa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The finals of the men’s and women’s tournaments will both be played in Brisbane on November 15, with semi-finals the weekend before in Newcastle and Sydney.<\/p>\n

Men’s tournament<\/p>\n

The ten teams have been split into three groups, with Australia<\/a>, New Zealand<\/a>, Fiji<\/a> and the Cook Islands<\/a> to play each other in Group A.<\/p>\n

The other six teams have been split across Group B and C, but will only play the three teams in the other group. England<\/a>, Samoa<\/a> and Lebanon<\/a> are in Group B, while Tonga<\/a>, PNG and France<\/a> are in Group C.<\/p>\n

The top two teams from Group A advance to the semi-finals, while Group B and C will have their points combined, and the top two teams of the six will progress.<\/p>\n

Full fixtures<\/p>\n

Pool
\nDate
\nTime
\nMatch
\nVenue<\/p>\n

A
\nThu Oct 15
\n8:05pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs New Zealand<\/a>
\nAllianz Stadium, Sydney<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nFri Oct 16
\n5:45pm
\nSamoa<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSat Oct 17
\n3:25pm
\nPapua New Guinea<\/a> vs Lebanon<\/a>
\nNational Football Stadium, Port Moresby<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSat Oct 17
\n8:05pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Tonga<\/a>
\nHBF Park, Perth<\/p>\n

A
\nSun Oct 18
\n4:05pm
\nFiji<\/a> vs Cook Islands<\/a>
\nMcDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nFri Oct 23
\n8:05pm
\nTonga<\/a> vs Lebanon<\/a>
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSat Oct 24
\n3:25pm
\nPapua New Guina vs Samoa<\/a>
\nNational Football Stadium, Port Moresby<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSat Oct 24
\n5:35pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nHBF Park, Perth<\/p>\n

A
\nSun Oct 25
\n4:05pm
\nNew Zealand<\/a> vs Cook Islands<\/a>
\nOne NZ Stadium, Christchurch<\/p>\n

A
\nSun Oct 25
\n8:05pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs Fiji<\/a>
\nSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nFri Oct 30
\n8:05pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Papua New Guinea<\/a>
\nWIN Stadium, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nSat Oct 31
\n3:45pm
\nNew Zealand<\/a> vs Fiji<\/a>
\nCBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast<\/p>\n

A
\nSat Oct 31
\n8:05pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs Cook Islands<\/a>
\nQueensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSun Nov 1
\n5:50pm
\nLebanon<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

B\/C
\nSun Nov 1
\n8:05pm
\nTonga<\/a> vs Samoa<\/a>
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSat Nov 7
\n8:05pm
\nSemi-final 1
\nMcDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSun Nov 8
\n8:05pm
\nSemi-final 2
\nAllianz Stadium, Sydney<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSun Nov 15
\n7:35pm
\nFinal
\nSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane<\/p>\n

Women’s tournament<\/p>\n

The women’s tournament is far more straight forward. Two groups of four, with each team playing the teams in their own group.<\/p>\n

Many of the matches have been set up as double-headers with men’s matches, while the finals will be played on the same days and at the same venues as the men’s tournament.<\/p>\n

Australia<\/a>, England<\/a>, Samoa<\/a> and Wales have been drawn into Group A, while New Zealand<\/a>, PNG, France<\/a> and Fiji<\/a> have been drawn into Group B.<\/p>\n

Full fixtures<\/p>\n

Pool
\nDate
\nTime
\nMatch
\nVenue<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Oct 16
\n8:05pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs Samoa<\/a>
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 17
\n1:15pm
\nPapua New Guinea<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nNational Football Stadium, Port Moresby<\/p>\n

A
\nSat Oct 17
\n5:35pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Wales
\nHBF Park, Perth<\/p>\n

B
\nSun Oct 18
\n1:50pm
\nNew Zealand<\/a> vs Fiji<\/a>
\nMcDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Oct 23
\n5:50pm
\nSamoa<\/a> vs Wales
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 24
\n1:15pm
\nPapua New Guinea<\/a> vs Fiji<\/a>
\nNational Football Stadium, Port Moresby<\/p>\n

A
\nSat Oct 24
\n8:05pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs England<\/a>
\nHBF Park, Perth<\/p>\n

B
\nSun Oct 25
\n1:50pm
\nNew Zealand<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nOne NZ Stadium, Christchurch<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Oct 30
\n5:50pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Samoa<\/a>
\nWIN Stadium, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 31
\n1:35pm
\nFiji<\/a> vs France<\/a>
\nCBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 31
\n5:55pm
\nNew Zealand<\/a> vs Papua New Guinea<\/a>
\nCBus Super Stadium, Gold Coast<\/p>\n

A
\nSun Nov 1
\n3:45pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs Wales
\nCommBank Stadium, Parramatta<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSat Nov 7
\n5:55pm
\nSemi-final 1
\nMcDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSun Nov 8
\n5:55pm
\nSemi-final 2
\nAllianz Stadium, Sydney<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nSun Nov 15
\n4:15pm
\nFinal
\nSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane<\/p>\n

Wheelchair tournament<\/p>\n

The wheelchair tournament will be played under the same format as the women’s, with all matches to be played at WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong. England<\/a>, Ireland<\/a>, Wales and the USA<\/a> are in Group A, while France<\/a>, Australia<\/a>, Samoa<\/a> and New Zealand<\/a> are in Group B.<\/p>\n

Full fixtures<\/p>\n

Pool
\nDate
\nTime
\nMatch
\nVenue<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Oct 30
\n1pm
\nIreland<\/a> vs USA<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Oct 30
\n3:30pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Wales
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 31
\n3pm
\nFrance<\/a> vs Scotland<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nSat Oct 31
\n5:30pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs New Zealand<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nTue Nov 3
\n11am
\nFrance<\/a> vs New Zealand<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nTue Nov 3
\n1:30pm
\nAustralia<\/a> vs Scotland<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nTue Nov 3
\n4pm
\nIreland<\/a> vs Wales
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nTue Nov 3
\n6:30pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs USA<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nFri Nov 6
\n11am
\nScotland<\/a> vs New Zealand<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Nov 6
\n1:30pm
\nWales vs USA<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

A
\nFri Nov 6
\n5pm
\nEngland<\/a> vs Ireland<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

B
\nFri Nov 6
\n7:30pm
\nFrance<\/a> vs Australia<\/a>
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nMon Nov 9
\n11am
\nPlacing match
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nMon Nov 9
\n1:30pm
\nPlacing match
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nTue Nov 10
\n5pm
\nSemi-final 1
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nTue Nov 10
\n7:30pm
\nSemi-final 2
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nThu Nov 12
\n11am
\nPlacing match
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nThu Nov 12
\n1:30pm
\nPlacing match
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nFri Nov 13
\n5pm
\nPlacing match
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n

N\/A
\nFri Nov 13
\n7:30pm
\nFinal
\nWIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The fixtures for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup have been confirmed by the NRL and IRL almost…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":303616,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-303615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/303616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}