Rugby League World Cup 2026 Draw, Schedule and Fixtures
Who plays who at the Rugby League World Cup 2026, and when does each match kick off?
The World Cup, which many fans call the NRL World Cup, is held every four years, and this edition brings the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair tournaments together.
RLWC 2026 starts on 15 October 2026 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney and ends with the Finals at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 15 November 2026.
The opening match is a blockbuster between two of the biggest teams in the sport: Australia vs New Zealand, on a Thursday night in Sydney.
In this guide, you’ll find the full Rugby League World Cup 2026 draw, with every fixture, date, venue and kick-off time for all three tournaments.
We also cover ticket prices and how to avoid scam sellers as the tournament gets closer.
Quick Answer: Rugby League World Cup 2026 Draw and Key Dates
- Start date: Thursday 15 October 2026, Australia v New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Final date: Sunday 15 November 2026, Men’s and Women’s Finals at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- Semi-finals: 7 November (Newcastle) and 8 November (Sydney)
- Wheelchair World Cup: 30 October to 13 November, all at the WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
- Matches: 53 across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea
Where Is the Rugby League World Cup 2026?
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup is the 17th edition of the Men’s Rugby tournament.
The RLWC 2026 is being hosted across three countries: Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Just like 2021st edition of RLWC, this one will also have 3 tournaments in total in just one event.
Those 3 tournaments are the Men’s, Women’s, and Wheelchair World Cups, all of which will run at the same time and carry equal status.
The Men’s tournament of the RLWC has been reduced from 16 teams to 10 for 2026, according to the officials.
Also, check out: How to watch Rugby League World Cup 2026
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Schedule
The complete and official schedule for the RLWC 2026 has been released.
The tournament will take place from 15th October to 15th November across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Given below is the official schedule of all 3 tournaments happening in the RLWC 2026.
Men’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 Fixtures Timetable
There are 10 teams in the Men’s tournament, which are divided into 3 groups with a unique crossover.
- Group A (4 teams): Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji
- Group B (3 teams): England, Lebanon, Samoa
- Group C (3 teams): France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga
The format of this Rugby League World Cup is different than other World Cups.
In this format, the Group A teams, which play against each other, like Australia, can only play against the other 3 teams in their Group.
However, Group B and Group C teams of the RLWC 2026 Men’s tournament will play against each other.
Like England, from Group B, have to play against France and other teams in Group C.
The top 2 teams from Group A and the top 2 teams from Group B & C combined will successfully qualify for the semifinals of the tournament.
| Date | Match | Venue | Sydney time | UK time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 15 Oct | Australia 24-22 New Zealand (FT) | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Fri 16 Oct | Samoa v France | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta | 5:45pm | 7:45am |
| Sat 17 Oct | PNG v Lebanon | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby | 3:25pm | 5:25am |
| Sat 17 Oct | England v Tonga | HBF Park, Perth | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Sun 18 Oct | Fiji v Cook Islands | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 4:05pm | 6:05am |
| Fri 23 Oct | Tonga v Lebanon | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta | 8:05pm | 10:05am |
| Sat 24 Oct | PNG v Samoa | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby | 3:25pm | 5:25am |
| Sat 24 Oct | England v France | HBF Park, Perth | 5:35pm | 7:35am |
| Sun 25 Oct | New Zealand v Cook Islands | One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch | 4:05pm | 5:05am |
| Sun 25 Oct | Australia v Fiji | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Fri 30 Oct | England v PNG | WIN Stadium, Wollongong | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sat 31 Oct | New Zealand v Fiji | Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast | 3:45pm | 4:45am |
| Sat 31 Oct | Australia v Cook Islands | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 1 Nov | Lebanon v France | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta | 5:50pm | 6:50am |
| Sun 1 Nov | Tonga v Samoa | CommBank Stadium, Parramatta | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sat 7 Nov | Semi-final 1 | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 8 Nov | Semi-final 2 | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | 8:05pm | 9:05am |
| Sun 15 Nov | Final | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 7:35pm | 8:35am |
Women’s Tournament Schedule
The Women’s tournament features 8 teams split into two groups of four.
The top 2 teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals. In total, 4 teams will qualify for the semifinals.
- Group A: Australia, England, Samoa, Wales
- Group B: Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea
The Women’s tournament will start on Friday, 16 October, at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
The very first match of the tournament is between the Australian Jillaroos and Samoa.
Women’s group matches are spread across Sydney, Port Moresby, Perth, Newcastle, Christchurch, Wollongong, and the Gold Coast.
The Grand Final will take place at Suncorp Stadium on 15 November, the same day as the Men’s final.
Wheelchair Tournament Schedule
The Wheelchair World Cup also features 8 teams across two groups of four.
- Group A: Australia, France, New Zealand, Scotland
- Group B: England, Ireland, the United States, Wales
Unlike the other two tournaments, the entire Wheelchair World Cup is played at one venue, which is the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong
The Wheelchair Final takes place on 13 November 2026, two days before the Men’s and Women’s finals.
Rugby League World Cup Draw 2026
Many fans, especially in Australia, call the fixture list the “draw”. The RLWC 2026 draw splits every tournament into pools, also called groups.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Pools
| Tournament | Pool | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s | Pool A | Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands |
| Men’s | Pool B | England, Lebanon, Samoa |
| Men’s | Pool C | France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga |
| Women’s | Pool A | Australia, England, Samoa, Wales |
| Women’s | Pool B | New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, France |
| Wheelchair | Pool A | England, Ireland, United States, Wales |
| Wheelchair | Pool B | Australia, France, New Zealand, Scotland |
In the men’s draw, Pool B and Pool C teams play each other rather than teams in their own pool. All six then share one combined table.
For every squad and team profile, see our RLWC 2026 teams guide.
What Is the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Draw?
The draw is the full list of who plays who, when and where. It’s the same thing as the fixtures or schedule.
Some fans in Australia also call the tournament the “NRL World Cup”, but its official name is the Rugby League World Cup 2026. For kick-off times in your time zone, see our kick-off times guide.
How to Get Rugby League World Cup Tickets?
This question is going to be the most asked in the upcoming days from the RLWC fans.
There are several ways you can purchase tickets for RLWC 2026.
Fans can purchase tickets for the Rugby League World Cup from the Ticketmaster website. For a full breakdown of pricing tiers and how to avoid resale scams, see our complete RLWC 2026 tickets guide.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster, starting from $19 AUD for adults and $49 AUD for families for group stage and semi-final matches.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Draw and Schedule: FAQ
When does the Rugby League World Cup 2026 start?
The Men’s tournament kicks off on 15 October 2026 with Australia vs New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The Women’s competition starts a day later, on 16 October, and the Wheelchair World Cup begins on 30 October.
When is the RLWC 2026 Grand Final?
The Men’s and Women’s Grand Finals are both played on 15 November 2026 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Wheelchair Final is held two days earlier, on 13 November, at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
How many teams are playing in RLWC 2026?
26 teams in total: 10 in the Men’s tournament, 8 in the Women’s tournament, and 8 in the Wheelchair tournament. See our full RLWC 2026 teams guide for squad-by-squad breakdowns.
When are the RLWC 2026 semi-finals?
The semi-finals are scheduled for 7–8 November 2026, with the first at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle and the second at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Where can I watch RLWC 2026 matches live?
Broadcast and streaming options vary by country. Check our guide to watching RLWC 2026 for the full list of confirmed broadcasters.
Who is the defending Rugby League World Cup champion?
Australia are the defending champions heading into RLWC 2026 and will play the tournament on home soil.
Conclusion
The Rugby League World Cup 2026 runs from 15 October to 15 November 2026, across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
It opens with Australia v New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, and both Finals are at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The Women’s World Cup kicks off a day later, and the Wheelchair World Cup joins in from 30 October. Find every match in your time zone in our kick-off times guide.
Once the tournament starts, every score and the latest table are on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Want to be there? Book your seats on Ticketmaster, and read our tickets guide to buy safely.
