Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals: Dates and Venues
When are the Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-finals, and where can you watch the last four teams fight for a place in the final?
Only four men’s teams and four women’s teams will still be standing after the pool stage ends on 1 November.
The men’s semi-finals are on Saturday 7 November at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle and Sunday 8 November at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, both kicking off at 8:05pm AEDT (9:05am UK).
The women’s semi-finals are played earlier on the same days at the same grounds, as double-headers.
Below, you’ll find every semi-final date, venue and kick-off time, who plays who, past results and how to get tickets.
We’ll add the teams as soon as the pool stage is complete, and the results straight after each match.
Quick Answer: Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals: Dates and Venues
- Semi-final 1: Saturday 7 November, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
- Semi-final 2: Sunday 8 November, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Men’s kick-off: 8:05pm AEDT (9:05am UK)
- Women’s kick-off: 5:55pm AEDT (6:55am UK)
- Final: Sunday 15 November, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- Watch: Seven and 7plus (Australia), Sky Sport (NZ), Premier Sports (UK)
When Are the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals?
The semi-finals are played over one weekend, on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026.
That’s six days after the last pool matches on 1 November, giving teams almost a week to recover.
The winners then have a week to prepare for the final in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November.
See every match date in our Rugby League World Cup 2026 schedule.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final Venues
Two of the biggest rugby league grounds in New South Wales host the semi-finals.
| Semi-final | Date | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final 1 | Sat 7 Nov | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | About 30,000 |
| Semi-final 2 | Sun 8 Nov | Allianz Stadium, Sydney | About 42,500 |
McDonald Jones Stadium is home to the Newcastle Knights and hosts Fiji vs Cook Islands in the opening round.
Allianz Stadium in Sydney hosts the tournament’s opening match, Australia vs New Zealand, on 15 October.
Read more about every ground in our Rugby League World Cup 2026 venues guide.
What Time Are the Rugby League World Cup Semi-Finals?
Both days follow the same timetable, with the women’s semi-final first and the men’s semi-final second.
| Match | Sydney | New Zealand | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s semi-final | 5:55pm | 7:55pm | 6:55am |
| Men’s semi-final | 8:05pm | 10:05pm | 9:05am |
Fans in the UK can watch both semi-finals on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
In New Zealand, the men’s semi-finals are late-night kick-offs at 10:05pm.
Brisbane is an hour behind Sydney, so the men’s games start at 7:05pm there.
Who Plays in the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals?
Four men’s teams reach the semi-finals: the top two from Pool A and the top two from the combined Pools B and C table.
Under the official draw, the Pool A winner plays the Pools B and C runner-up, and the Pool A runner-up plays the Pools B and C winner.
That means Pool A teams can’t meet each other until the final, and neither can the Pools B and C teams.
We’ll confirm which pairing plays in Newcastle and which plays in Sydney as soon as the pool stage ends.
Women’s Semi-Finals
In the women’s World Cup, the top two teams from each group reach the semi-finals.
One group has Australia, England, Samoa and Wales, and the other has New Zealand, PNG, France and Fiji.
See every women’s fixture in our Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2026 guide.
Who Will Make the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals?
In Pool A, defending champions Australia and New Zealand are the favourites to take the two semi-final places.
Fiji will hope to cause an upset, with the Cook Islands the outsiders.
In Pools B and C, England, Samoa and Tonga look set to fight for two places, with PNG strong at home.
Follow the live tables after every match on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Rugby League World Cup Semi-Final History
Some of the greatest World Cup matches have been semi-finals, with four decided by two points or fewer since 2013.
| Year | Semi-final | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Leeds | Australia 16-14 New Zealand |
| 2022 | London | Samoa 27-26 England (golden point) |
| 2017 | Auckland | England 20-18 Tonga |
| 2017 | Brisbane | Australia 54-6 Fiji |
| 2013 | Wembley, London | New Zealand 20-18 England |
| 2013 | Wembley, London | Australia 64-0 Fiji |
In 2022, Samoa beat hosts England in extra time to become the first Pacific Island nation to reach a World Cup final.
Five years earlier, Tonga nearly came back from 20-0 down against England in a famous Auckland semi-final.
Australia have reached every World Cup final since 1995, and they’ve won the last three semi-finals they played.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Final Tickets
Semi-final tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster, the official seller.
Each ticket covers both the women’s and men’s semi-finals on that day.
Buy early, as semi-finals with Australia or New Zealand are likely to sell out.
Travelling from overseas? An Australia eSIM from Airalo keeps your phone working from the moment you land.
How to Watch the Rugby League World Cup Semi-Finals
Every semi-final is shown live in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
- Australia: Free on the Seven Network and 7plus
- New Zealand: Sky Sport
- UK and Ireland: Premier Sports (subscription)
In Australia, you can also stream both semi-finals free on 7plus.
Travelling during the tournament? A VPN like NordVPN keeps your home streaming account working and protects you on public Wi-Fi. (We may earn a commission.)
For the latest broadcast news, visit rlwc2026.com.
Semi-Final Updates
14 October 2026: Page published with semi-final dates, venues, kick-off times and the format.
Next update: the four men’s and four women’s semi-finalists, once the pool stage ends on 1 November.
After each semi-final, we’ll add the score and who goes through to the final.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 Semi-Finals: FAQ
Here are quick answers to the questions fans ask most about the semi-finals.
Each answer starts with the key fact, so you can find it fast.
For full details, see the sections above.
When are the Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-finals?
Saturday 7 November in Newcastle and Sunday 8 November in Sydney.
The men’s semi-finals kick off at 8:05pm AEDT.
The women’s semi-finals kick off at 5:55pm AEDT.
Where are the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals being played?
At McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle and Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Both grounds host a women’s and a men’s semi-final on the same day.
The final is at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
How do teams qualify for the semi-finals?
The top two in Pool A and the top two in the combined Pools B and C table reach the semi-finals.
The Pool A winner plays the Pools B and C runner-up.
The Pool A runner-up plays the Pools B and C winner.
When is the Rugby League World Cup final?
Sunday 15 November 2026 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The men’s final kicks off at 7:35pm AEDT, which is 6:35pm in Brisbane.
The women’s final is played earlier the same day.
Conclusion
The Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-finals are on 7 and 8 November in Newcastle and Sydney.
Four men’s teams and four women’s teams will play for a place in the final in Brisbane.
Bookmark this page, because we’ll add the teams and results as soon as they’re confirmed.
Plan the final weekend with our Rugby League World Cup final guide.
