Are England Out of the Rugby League World Cup 2026?
Are England out of the Rugby League World Cup 2026? The answer came on Sunday night in Sydney, in a game England weren’t even playing.
Brian McDermott’s side needed Tonga to beat Samoa by 47 points or more. Tonga won, but only 20-18.
Yes, England are out of the Rugby League World Cup 2026. They finished third in the Pools B and C table on points difference, behind Tonga and Samoa.
It’s the first time England or Great Britain have missed the last four of a Rugby League World Cup.
Tonga now play New Zealand in Newcastle, and Samoa face Australia in Sydney.
Below, we explain how England went out, the final table, what went wrong and what comes next for Brian McDermott.
Quick Answer: Are England Out of the Rugby League World Cup 2026?
- Are England out? Yes, out at the pool stage
- Why: Tonga beat Samoa 20-18, not by the 47 points England needed
- Final position: Third in Pools B and C (won 2, lost 1, points difference +86)
- Through instead: Tonga (first) and Samoa (second)
- Semi-finals: New Zealand v Tonga (Sat 7 Nov), Australia v Samoa (Sun 8 Nov)
- England women: Also out, after a 24-6 loss to Samoa
How Did England Get Knocked Out?
England finished their pool games on four points, with a points difference of +86. Tonga and Samoa were also on four before they met on Sunday.
Only the top two in the combined Pools B and C table reach the semi-finals. Head-to-head decides ties first, then points difference, NRL.com explains.
Tonga beat Samoa 20-18 in front of a record 29,411 crowd at CommBank Stadium. Addin Fonua-Blake scored the winner with eight minutes left.
That two-point margin only cut Samoa’s points difference to +130, still well above England’s +86.
Samoa thought they had won it at the death, but Sua Fa’alogo’s try in the corner was ruled out for a foot in touch, Fox Sports reported.
Rugby League World Cup Table: Pools B and C
Here is the final combined table for Pools B and C, after the last two games on Sunday 1 November.
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonga | 3 | 3 | 0 | +56 | 6 |
| 2 | Samoa | 3 | 2 | 1 | +130 | 4 |
| 3 | England | 3 | 2 | 1 | +86 | 4 |
| 4 | PNG | 3 | 1 | 2 | -56 | 2 |
| 5 | Lebanon | 3 | 1 | 2 | -56 | 2 |
| 6 | France | 3 | 0 | 3 | -160 | 0 |
Tonga top the table with three wins from three, and Samoa take second place on points difference.
England finish third, level with Samoa on points but 44 behind on points difference.
Earlier on Sunday, Lebanon beat France 24-20 in golden point for their first win. See every score on our Rugby League World Cup results page.
Why Did England’s World Cup Go Wrong?
The damage was done in England’s first game. Tonga beat them 30-12 at HBF Park in Perth on 17 October, with two tries from Haumole Olakau’atu.
Under this format, England played only three pool games, so one loss left them almost no room to recover.
Coach Brian McDermott called it “so harsh”, and former England forward Jon Wilkin told Sky Sports the format was “fundamentally flawed”.
Big wins over France and PNG followed, but NRL.com said the sloppy 34-12 win left England needing a miracle. It never came.
Have England Ever Gone Out at the Group Stage?
No, never before. It’s the first time England or Great Britain have missed the last four of a World Cup, The Guardian reported.
England reached the Final in 1995 and 2017, losing to Australia both times.
They also made the semi-finals in 2000, 2008, 2013 and 2021, when Samoa beat them 27-26 in golden point in London.
That record is why this early exit is such a big blow for the English game, four years before the next World Cup in 2030.
Will Brian McDermott Stay as England Coach?
Brian McDermott was only appointed England coach in April 2026, six months before the World Cup.
After the win over PNG, he admitted it may have been his last game in charge, but said he hopes to carry on.
As of 1 November, no decision on his future has been announced.
See every head coach at the tournament on our Rugby League World Cup 2026 coaches page.
Who Is in the Rugby League World Cup Semi-Finals?
The men’s semi-finals were locked in straight after Tonga’s win over Samoa on Sunday night.
New Zealand play Tonga at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November, at 8:05pm (9:05am UK).
Australia play Samoa at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday 8 November, also at 8:05pm (9:05am UK).
UK fans can still watch both games live on Premier Sports. Full details are on our Rugby League World Cup semi-finals page.
Are England Out of the World Cup: FAQ
Here are quick answers to the questions fans ask most about England’s World Cup exit.
Each answer starts with the key fact, so you can find it fast.
For full details, see the sections above.
Are England out of the Rugby League World Cup?
Yes. England are out after Tonga beat Samoa 20-18 on 1 November.
They finish third in the Pools B and C table on points difference.
Tonga and Samoa go through to the semi-finals.
Who knocked England out of the World Cup?
Tonga beat England 30-12 in Perth on 17 October, and that loss decided it.
Samoa then finished above England on points difference.
England needed Tonga to beat Samoa by 47 points or more.
Are England women out of the World Cup?
Yes. England women lost 78-0 to Australia and 24-6 to Samoa.
Australia and Samoa go through from Group A.
England’s last game was the loss to Samoa on 30 October.
Who is in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals?
New Zealand v Tonga in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November.
Australia v Samoa in Sydney on Sunday 8 November.
Both kick off at 8:05pm Sydney time, 9:05am in the UK.
Conclusion
England are out of the Rugby League World Cup 2026, after Tonga beat Samoa 20-18 in Sydney on Sunday night.
They needed a 47-point Tonga win, and the 30-12 loss to Tonga in Perth proved too costly in the end.
It’s the first time England or Great Britain have missed a World Cup semi-final, and attention now turns to Brian McDermott’s future.
Follow the rest of the tournament on our semi-finals and results pages.
Want our World Cup updates first? Add RLWC 2026 Guide as a preferred source on Google.
