Rugby League World Cup 2026 Tips, Predictions & Match Previews
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup will bring the international game’s biggest nations together as they battle for the sport’s ultimate prize.
With Australia, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea hosting the tournament, the Kangaroos will be aiming to defend their crown on home soil, while the Kiwis, England, Samoa and Tonga headline the nations looking to challenge for World Cup glory.
Bets.com.au will cover the 2026 Rugby League World Cup from the build-up through to the final, with the latest betting odds, match predictions, expert tips, team news, fixtures and tournament analysis.
Whether you’re looking for outright winner markets, individual match bets or player prop betting options, our Rugby League World Cup coverage will have you covered throughout the tournament.
Rugby League World Cup Betting Odds
Australia are $1.80 favourites to retain the World Cup, but will face stiff opposition from strong New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa teams.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Betting MarketsBet on the World Cup with LadbrokesBet Here
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Check out the latest odds for who will win the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in the table below.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Australia | $1.80 |
| New Zealand | $3.00 |
| Samoa | $12.00 |
| Tonga XIII | $12.00 |
| England | $17.00 |
| Papua New Guinea | $401.00 |
| Fiji | $501.00 |
| Cook Islands | $501.00 |
| Lebanon | $751.00 |
| France | $1,001.00 |
Odds from Ladbrokes. Correct from 12/10/26.
Best Rugby League World Cup Bookmakers
Most leading bookmakers in Australia offer odds on the Rugby League World Cup - including H2H matches and outright markets.
You can find our best options below, or read our Australian bookmaker reviews for a deeper guide.
Rugby League World Cup Fixtures Schedule
Australia and New Zealand launch the World Cup on Thursday October 16, while the final will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday November 15.
Check out the full match schedule below.
| Date | Game | Venue | Time AEDT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 15 Oct | Australia v New Zealand | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | 8:05 PM |
| Fri, 16 Oct | Samoa v France | CommBank Stadium, Sydney | 6:45 PM |
| Sat, 17 Oct | Papua New Guinea v Lebanon | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby | 4:25 PM |
| Sat, 17 Oct | England v Tonga | HBF Park, Perth | 9:05 PM |
| Sun, 18 Oct | Fiji v Cook Islands | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 5:05 PM |
| Fri, 23 Oct | Tonga v Lebanon | CommBank Stadium, Sydney | 8:05 PM |
| Sat, 24 Oct | Papua New Guinea v Samoa | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby | 4:25 PM |
| Sat, 24 Oct | England v France | HBF Park, Perth | 6:35 PM |
| Sun, 25 Oct | New Zealand v Cook Islands | One NZ Stadium, Christchurch | 4:05 PM |
| Sun, 25 Oct | Australia v Fiji | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 8:05 PM |
| Fri, 30 Oct | England v Papua New Guinea | WIN Stadium, Wollongong | 8:05 PM |
| Sat, 31 Oct | New Zealand v Fiji | Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast | 3:45 PM |
| Sat, 31 Oct | Australia v Cook Islands | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville | 8:05 PM |
| Sun, 1 Nov | Lebanon v France | CommBank Stadium, Sydney | 5:50 PM |
| Sun, 1 Nov | Tonga v Samoa | CommBank Stadium, Sydney | 8:05 PM |
| Sat, 7 Nov | Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 8:05 PM |
| Sun, 8 Nov | Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | 8:05 PM |
| Sun, 15 Nov | Final: TBC v TBC | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 7:35 PM |
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Pools, Leagues & Teams - How It All Works
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup introduces a unique tournament format, with 10 nations competing across three pools for four places in the semi-finals. Unlike previous editions, there will be no quarter-finals, meaning every group-stage result could prove crucial in determining which nations advance to the knockout rounds.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday, October 15, when Australia face New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, before concluding with the World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday, November 15. Matches will be staged across Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
How Does the 2026 Rugby League World Cup Format Work?
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup features 10 teams divided into three pools, with a different qualification structure for Pool A compared to Pools B and C.
Pool A contains four nations, with each team playing the other three countries once. The top two teams in the standings automatically qualify for the semi-finals.
Pools B and C contain three nations each, but instead of playing teams within their own pool, they face all three opponents from the opposite pool. Results are combined into one six-team standings table, with the top two nations progressing to the semi-finals.
This means all 10 nations play three group-stage matches, but only four will advance to the knockout rounds.
| Stage | Format | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Pool A | 4 teams, 3 matches each | Top 2 advance |
| Pool B | 3 teams, playing Pool C opponents | Combined standings |
| Pool C | 3 teams, playing Pool B opponents | Combined standings |
| Combined Pool B & C | 6-team standings table | Top 2 advance |
| Semi-Finals | 4 teams, 2 knockout matches | Winners advance |
| Final | 2 teams, 1 match | Winner crowned World Champion |
2026 Rugby League World Cup Pool A - Teams & Format
Pool A features tournament favourites Australia alongside New Zealand, Fiji and the Cook Islands.
Each nation will play three matches against its Pool A opponents, with the top two teams progressing directly to the semi-finals.
Australia and New Zealand headline the pool, with their opening-round showdown potentially having significant implications for the final standings.
Fiji and the Cook Islands will be looking to cause an upset and challenge the two traditional international rugby league powerhouses for a place in the knockout rounds.
| Pool | Nation | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| A | Australia | 3 |
| A | New Zealand | 3 |
| A | Fiji | 3 |
| A | Cook Islands | 3 |
2026 Rugby League World Cup Pool B - Teams & Format
Pool B consists of England, Samoa and Lebanon, with all three nations facing opponents from Pool C rather than playing each other.
This creates an interesting dynamic, with England, Samoa and Lebanon each facing Tonga, Papua New Guinea and France during the group stage.
The results of those nine crossover fixtures will determine the combined Pool B and C standings, with only the top two nations from the six-team table progressing to the semi-finals.
England and Samoa will enter the tournament with strong ambitions of reaching the knockout rounds, while Lebanon will be hoping to spring an upset against their Pool C opponents.
| Pool | Nation | Matches | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | England | 3 | Tonga, Papua New Guinea, France |
| B | Samoa | 3 | Tonga, Papua New Guinea, France |
| B | Lebanon | 3 | Tonga, Papua New Guinea, France |
Qualification: The top two teams from the combined Pool B and C standings advance to the semi-finals.
2026 Rugby League World Cup Pool C - Teams & Format
Pool C features Tonga, Papua New Guinea and France, with each nation playing three crossover matches against the teams in Pool B.
Tonga will be targeting a semi-final appearance, while Papua New Guinea will be hoping to capitalise on home support during their group-stage campaign.
France face a challenging assignment against England, Samoa and Lebanon as they attempt to secure one of the two available semi-final positions.
With all six nations competing in the same combined standings, the Pool B and C format creates a particularly competitive qualification race.
| Pool | Nation | Matches | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Tonga | 3 | England, Samoa, Lebanon |
| C | Papua New Guinea | 3 | England, Samoa, Lebanon |
| C | France | 3 | England, Samoa, Lebanon |
Qualification: The top two teams from the combined Pool B and C standings advance to the semi-finals.
How Do Teams Qualify for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup Semi-Finals?
The four semi-finalists will be determined following the conclusion of the group stage on November 1.
Two teams will qualify from Pool A, while the other two positions will be awarded to the highest-ranked nations in the combined Pool B and C standings.
There are no quarter-finals in the 2026 men's tournament, making the group stage especially important.
The semi-finals will take place in Newcastle on November 7 and Sydney on November 8, with the winners advancing to the Rugby League World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium on November 15.
Rugby League World Cup Live Streaming
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup will be broadcast live and exclusively in Australia on the Seven Network and 7plus Sport, with every match available to watch free of charge.
Seven will provide comprehensive coverage of all 53 matches across the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments, running from October 15 to November 15. Fans can watch the action on free-to-air television or stream matches live through 7plus Sport on compatible devices, with full match replays and highlights also available.
Rugby league fans will also be able to follow selected matches on radio, with Triple M broadcasting 11 games, including the men's and women's World Cup Finals. Radio coverage will be available across major Australian cities and streamed through LiSTNR.
Internationally, Premier Sports has secured broadcasting rights for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and several South-East Asian countries, while Digicel TV will provide coverage throughout Papua New Guinea.
Rugby League World Cup - Previous Champions
Australia are comfortably the most successful nation in Rugby League World Cup history, winning 12 of the 16 tournaments completed to date.
The Kangaroos have dominated the competition for much of its history, including a remarkable run of six consecutive titles from 1975 through to 2000. Great Britain are the next most successful with three titles, while New Zealand's breakthrough triumph in 2008 remains their only World Cup victory. Australia enter the 2026 tournament as defending champions after beating Samoa 30-10 in the most recent final.
| Edition | Year | Winner | Score | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2021 | Australia | 30–10 | Samoa |
| 15 | 2017 | Australia | 6–0 | England |
| 14 | 2013 | Australia | 34–2 | New Zealand |
| 13 | 2008 | New Zealand | 34–20 | Australia |
| 12 | 2000 | Australia | 40–12 | New Zealand |
| 11 | 1995 | Australia | 16–8 | England |
| 10 | 1989–1992 | Australia | 10–6 | Great Britain |
| 9 | 1985–1988 | Australia | 25–12 | New Zealand |
| 8 | 1977 | Australia | 13–12 | Great Britain |
| 7 | 1975 | Australia | Round-robin | England |
| 6 | 1972 | Great Britain | 10–10 (AET) | Australia |
| 5 | 1970 | Australia | 12–7 | Great Britain |
| 4 | 1968 | Australia | 20–2 | France |
| 3 | 1960 | Great Britain | Round-robin | Australia |
| 2 | 1957 | Australia | Round-robin | Great Britain |
| 1 | 1954 | Great Britain | 16–12 | France |
Rugby League World Cup 2026 FAQs
- When does the 2026 Rugby League World Cup start and finish?
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup begins on Thursday, October 15, with Australia facing New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The tournament runs for 31 days across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, concluding with the World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday, November 15.
- How many teams are competing in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup?
A total of 10 nations will compete in the men's 2026 Rugby League World Cup: Australia, New Zealand, England, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Lebanon, France and the Cook Islands. The tournament also features separate women's and wheelchair competitions, with 26 teams participating across all three events.
- How does the 2026 Rugby League World Cup format work?
The men's tournament features three pools. Pool A contains four nations, with the top two advancing directly to the semi-finals. Pools B and C contain three teams each, with nations playing opponents from the opposite pool. Results contribute to a combined six-team standings table, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals. There are no quarter-finals in the men's competition.
- Where can I watch the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Australia?
The Seven Network and 7plus Sport hold exclusive Australian broadcasting rights for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. All 53 matches across the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments will be available live and free, with fans able to watch on Channel 7 or stream the action through 7plus Sport.
- Who are the defending Rugby League World Cup champions?
Australia are the defending men's Rugby League World Cup champions, having defeated Samoa 30-10 in the 2021 tournament final, which was played in November 2022. The Kangaroos have won a record 12 World Cup titles and will be aiming to claim their fourth consecutive championship in 2026.
