A top eight rugby league nation is at risk of banishment from the 2026 World Cup despite having already qualified for the competition.

Fiji, who are ranked seventh in the current International Rugby League (IRL) ratings, could well be removed from the upcoming World Cup on account of their failure to submit their Annual Membership Audit.

The sport’s governing body in Fiji, the Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL), hasn’t just failed to submit their AMA for 2026 but they also did not submit it in 2023, 2024, or 2025, meaning the nation’s membership or the IRL is under threat.

Their participation in this year’s World Cup, for which they qualified as a result of making the quarter-finals of the most recent World Cup held in 2022, is now at risk

According to the Fiji Sun, the FNRL received a letter from the IRL that stated the nation remained ‘non-compliant with the provisions of full membership’. For context, only member nations can compete in the World Cup meaning Fiji are now on the brink of being removed.

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Fiji at risk of 2026 Rugby League World Cup removal

Per the letter sent by the IRL to the FNRL and published by the Fiji Sun, the nation will be ‘recommended for reclassification to affiliate membership’.

At that point, Fiji can either accept or appeal the classification with the change to affiliate membership meaning the removal of voting rights and eligibility to play in the Rugby League World Cup.

Should Fiji be removed from the World Cup then a number of Super League players could see their dream to compete at the competition slashed with the likes of Huddersfield Giants’ Taane Milne and Castleford Tigers’ Semi Valemei both named in the squad for last year’s Pacific Championships.

Castleford’s Jason Qareqare and Leeds Rhinos’ Maika Sivo are others who would hold ambitions of representing Fiji.

Fiji have been placed in group A alongside champions and hosts Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands, with the top two teams set to progress to the semi-finals.