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Rugby League World Cup 2026: Schedule, dates, format, results from men's, women's, and wheelchair tournaments

The Rugby League World Cup takes place from October 15-November 15; England men play Tonga, France, and PNG in the group stages; England women play Wales, Australia, and Samoa in the group stages; Australia are the defending champions in both

Monday 12 October 2026 12:32, UK

The Rugby League World Cup takes place from October 15- November 15
Image: The Rugby League World Cup takes place from October 15- November 15

The 2026 Rugby League World Cup is just around the corner, with Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea playing host to the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments.

In the men's and women's tournaments, Australia are the defending champions. Meanwhile, England currently hold the title of world champions in the wheelchair competition.

The men's match gets the World Cup under way on Thursday October 15, with kick-off at 10.05am (BST) .

For England men, their first match is on Saturday October 17 against Tonga, with kick-off at 10.05am. Prior to that, England women start their title charge on the same day at 7.35am against Wales.

The wheelchair tournament gets going on Friday October 30, when England take on Wales at 4.30am.

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Men's Pools

  • Group A: Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji
  • Group B: England, Lebanon, Samoa
  • Group C: France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga

Teams in Pools B and C face off in inter-pool matches with teams in one pool, playing all three of their group games against each team in the opposing pool. Results from these inter-pool matches feed into a combined ladder where the 2 highest ranked teams will progress to the semi-finals.

Women's Pools

  • Group A: Australia, England, Samoa, Wales
  • Group B: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, Fiji

Wheelchair Pools

  • Group A: England, Ireland, Wales, USA
  • Group B: France, Australia, Scotland, New Zealand

Men's Fixtures

All kick-off times are in BST.

England are based in Perth for the majority of the group stages
Image: England are based in Perth for the majority of the group stages

Thursday October 15

Group A: Australia v New Zealand - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)

Friday October 16

Group B/C: Samoa v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)

Saturday October 17

Group B/C: Papua New Guinea v Lebanon - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (5.25am)

Group B/C: England v Tonga - HBF Park, Perth (10.05am)

Sunday October 18

Group A: Fiji v Cook Islands - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.05am)

Friday October 23

Group B/C: Tonga v Lebanon - CommBank Stadium, Newcastle (10.05am)

Saturday October 24

Group B/C: Papua New Guinea v Samoa - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (5.25am)

Group B/C: England v France - HBF Park, Perth (7.35am)

Sunday October 25

Group A: New Zealand v Cook Islands - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (5.05am)

Group A: Australia v Fiji - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (9.05am)

Friday October 30

Group B/C: England v Papua New Guinea - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (9.05am)

Saturday October 31

Group A: New Zealand v Fiji - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (4.30am)

Group A: Australia v Cook Islands - Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville (9.05am)

Sunday November 1

Group B/C: Lebanon v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (6.40am)

Group B/C: Tonga v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)

Saturday November 7

Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (9.05am)

Sunday November 8

Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)

Sunday November 15

Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (8.35am)

Women's Fixtures

Woman of Steel Jenna Foubister will play in her first World Cup
Image: Woman of Steel Jenna Foubister will play in her first World Cup

Friday October 16

Group A: Australia v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)

Saturday October 17

Group B: Papua New Guinea v France - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (3.15am)

Group A: England v Wales - HBF Park, Perth (7.35am)

Sunday October 18

Group B: New Zealand v Fiji - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (3.50am)

Friday October 23

Group A: Samoa v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)

Saturday October 24

Group B: Fiji v Papua New Guinea - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (3.15am)

Group A: Australia v England - HBF Park, Perth (10.05am)

Sunday October 25

Group B: New Zealand v France - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (3.00am)

Friday October 30

Group A: England v Samoa - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (6.45am)

Saturday October 31

Group B: Fiji v France - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (6.45am)

Group B: New Zealand v Papua New Guinea - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (2.20am)

Sunday November 1

Group A: Australia v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (4.40am)

Saturday November 7

Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.45am)

Sunday November 8

Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (6.45am)

Sunday November 15

Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (5.10am)

Wheelchair Fixtures

Friday October 30

Group A: Ireland v USA (3am)

Group A: England v Wales (4.30am)

Saturday October 31

Group B: France v Scotland (4am)

Group B: Australia v New Zealand (6.30am)

Tuesday November 3

Group B: France v New Zealand (12am)

Group B: Australia v Scotland (2.30am)

Group A: Ireland v Wales (5am)

Group A: England v USA (7.30am)

Friday November 6

Group B: Scotland v New Zealand (12am)

Group A: Wales v USA (2.30am)

Group A: England v Ireland (6am)

Group B: France v Australia (8.30am)

Monday November 9- Tuesday November 10

Semi-Finals

Thursday November 12- Friday November 13

Final

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