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2026 Rugby League World Cup Odds, Preview & Favourites

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: Tue 11 Aug 2026 08:29

Jeremy Darke 1 hour ago

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Australia are clear favourites but face tough competition from NZ, Samoa, England, and Tonga.
The new 10-team format means every match is crucial for semi-final qualification.
Opening clashes, especially Australia vs. NZ, could define the tournament's outcome.

2026 Rugby League World Cup Winner Odds(Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

2026 Rugby League World Cup Odds, Preview & Favourites

The 2026 Rugby League World Cup is shaping as one of the most competitive international tournaments in recent memory, with the game’s traditional heavyweights facing an increasingly dangerous group of Pacific nations.

2026 Rugby League World Cup Odds, Preview & Favourites
2026 Rugby League World Cup Winner Odds
2026 Rugby League World Cup Betting Preview

Australia will once again carry the weight of expectation, but New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga have all shown they are capable of challenging the Kangaroos on the biggest stage, while England will be determined to make their home-grown talent count.

With a streamlined tournament format leaving little margin for error, every pool match carries significance as the world’s best rugby league nations battle for a place in the knockout stages and, ultimately, the World Cup trophy.

2026 Rugby League World Cup Winner Odds

Team	Odds
Australia	$1.40
New Zealand	$4.50
Samoa	$9.50
England	$13.00
Tonga	$15.00
Papua New Guinea	$201.00
France	$201.00
Fiji	$251.00
Lebanon	$501.00
Cook Islands	$1001.00

2026 Rugby League World Cup Betting Preview

Australia enter the 2026 Rugby League World Cup as the clear team to beat, with the Kangaroos priced at $1.40 to lift the trophy. However, this shapes as a far more competitive tournament than those odds might suggest, with New Zealand ($4.50), Samoa ($9.50), England ($13.00) and Tonga ($15.00) all presenting genuine threats.

The tournament begins on 15 October, with Australia immediately facing their biggest market rival, New Zealand, at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The Kangaroos and Kiwis have been drawn alongside Fiji and the Cook Islands in Pool A, meaning the opening game could have a major bearing on the path to the semi-finals.

New Zealand look the obvious alternative to the favourites at $4.50. The Kiwis have proven they can beat Australia, most notably producing a record 30-0 victory over the Kangaroos in the 2023 Pacific Cup final, before winning another Pacific Cup in 2025. Samoa have also established themselves as a major international force after becoming the first Pacific nation to reach a World Cup final at the previous tournament.

That makes the middle of the market particularly interesting. Samoa are $9.50, while England and Tonga sit at $13.00 and $15.00 respectively. England and Samoa are joined by Lebanon in Pool B, with Tonga, Papua New Guinea and France comprising Pool C. Teams from Pools B and C play crossover matches, with the top two nations on their combined table advancing to the semi-finals.

England and Tonga meet in Perth on the opening weekend, while the Tonga-Samoa clash on 1 November shapes as another potential tournament-defining contest. With only four men's semi-final positions available in the streamlined 10-team competition, there is considerably less room for an early slip-up than in previous World Cups.

Australia deserve favouritism, but $1.40 is a short price in an increasingly competitive international landscape. New Zealand appear the strongest challenger, while Samoa and Tonga offer greater odds for punters looking beyond the two traditional heavyweights. The tournament culminates with the World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 15 November.