PNG vs Lebanon Rugby League World Cup 2026
Can Lebanon silence one of the loudest crowds in world rugby league, or will the Kumuls make home advantage count?
PNG play their first two World Cup matches at home in Port Moresby, and Lebanon are the first visitors.
PNG vs Lebanon is on Saturday 17 October 2026 at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, kicking off at 2:25pm local time (3:25pm Sydney, 7:25am Lebanon, 5:25am UK).
It’s the first match for both teams in the combined Pools B and C, and it’s set to be the first Test between the two nations.
Below, you’ll find the kick-off time in every country, both official team lists, each team’s form, our prediction and how to watch.
We’ll add any late team changes before kick-off, then the result and a short match report after full-time.
Quick Answer: PNG vs Lebanon Rugby League World Cup 2026
- Date: Saturday 17 October 2026
- Kick-off: 2:25pm Port Moresby, 3:25pm Sydney, 7:25am Lebanon, 5:25am UK
- Venue: Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
- Head to head: First Test meeting
- Coaches: Jason Demetriou (PNG), Michael Cheika (Lebanon)
- Watch: Seven and 7plus (Australia), Sky Sport (NZ), Premier Sports (UK)
What Time Is PNG vs Lebanon?
PNG vs Lebanon kicks off at 2:25pm Port Moresby time on Saturday 17 October.
| Where you are | Kick-off time |
|---|---|
| Port Moresby | 2:25pm Saturday |
| Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra | 3:25pm Saturday |
| Brisbane | 2:25pm Saturday |
| Lebanon | 7:25am Saturday |
| New Zealand | 5:25pm Saturday |
| UK | 5:25am Saturday |
It’s an early start for fans in Lebanon and a very early one in the UK.
The PNG Orchids play France in the women’s World Cup at 12:15pm, so get to the ground early for the double-header.
PNG vs Lebanon Team Lists
Both teams were named on Tuesday 13 October. Here are the official 17s, as published on NRL.com.
| No. | PNG | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morea Morea | Jacob Kiraz |
| 2 | Robert Derby | Tony Francis |
| 3 | Zac Laybutt | Michael Gabrael |
| 4 | Nene Macdonald | Jordan Samrani |
| 5 | Dudley Dotoi | Jason Saab |
| 6 | Gairo Voro | Khaled Rajab |
| 7 | Bailey Biondi-Odo | Alex Conti |
| 8 | Valentine Richard | Jaxson Rahme |
| 9 | Edwin Ipape | Yehya Ayache |
| 10 | Luca Moretti | James Roumanos |
| 11 | Rhyse Martin | Tony Sukkar |
| 12 | Nixon Putt | Charbel Tasipale |
| 13 | Jack de Belin | Alex Twal |
| 14 | Finley Glare | Moustafa Dirani |
| 15 | Liam Horne | Mikael Ibrahim |
| 16 | Epel Kapinias | Jalal Bazzaz |
| 17 | Sylvester Namo | Khalil Rahme |
Coaches can still make late changes, so the final teams are confirmed about an hour before kick-off.
PNG mix NRL and Super League players with home-grown talent, while Lebanon’s side is mostly NRL-based.
See every other Round 1 side on our Rugby League World Cup 2026 team lists page.
PNG: The Big Selection Calls
Captain Rhyse Martin starts in the second row and will take the goal kicks.
Edwin Ipape starts at hooker, with Gairo Voro and Bailey Biondi-Odo in the halves.
Jack de Belin starts at lock, and Luca Moretti makes his PNG debut at prop.
Nene Macdonald brings size and experience to the centres.
Lebanon: The Big Selection Calls
Jacob Kiraz starts at fullback, giving Lebanon their biggest attacking weapon.
Manly winger Jason Saab makes his Lebanon debut.
Khaled Rajab and Alex Conti form the halves, with Yehya Ayache at hooker.
Alex Twal and Tony Sukkar bring NRL experience to the pack.
PNG vs Lebanon Head to Head
PNG and Lebanon have never met in a Test match, so Saturday is set to be a first.
At the 2022 World Cup, PNG beat the Cook Islands and Wales before losing 46-6 to England in the quarter-finals.
Lebanon also reached the 2022 quarter-finals, where they lost 48-4 to Australia.
Since then, PNG have played regularly in the Pacific Championships, while Lebanon have played very few matches.
PNG vs Lebanon Prediction
PNG start as favourites, with a home crowd behind them and much more recent match practice.
Lebanon have quality in Kiraz, Twal and Saab, and Michael Cheika’s teams are always hard to beat.
Our pick is PNG by six to 12 points, with the Port Moresby crowd a big factor.
Both teams see this as a must-win game if they want to challenge for a semi-final place.
Where Is PNG vs Lebanon Being Played?
The match is at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, PNG’s national stadium.
It hosted PNG’s World Cup matches in 2017, when the Kumuls won all three of their pool games there.
The ground holds around 15,000 fans, and the atmosphere is one of the loudest in the sport.
Rugby league is PNG’s national sport, so expect a full house for the double-header.
What Channel Is PNG vs Lebanon On?
PNG vs Lebanon is 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)
PNG’s local broadcaster for 2026 hasn’t been confirmed yet. We’ll add it here once it’s announced.
Following the Kumuls or the Cedars from abroad? A VPN like NordVPN keeps your home streaming account working and protects you on public Wi-Fi. (We may earn a commission.)
For other countries, see our how to watch the Rugby League World Cup guide.
PNG vs Lebanon Tickets
Tickets for the Port Moresby matches are sold by a local PNG ticket seller, not Ticketmaster.
Check official tournament channels for the local seller, and buy early, as home games sell fast.
For Lebanon’s later matches in Sydney, tickets start from $19 AUD on Ticketmaster.
Travelling to Port Moresby? Pack a PNG eSIM from Airalo so your phone works from the moment you land.
PNG vs Lebanon Result
The match hasn’t been played yet. It kicks off on Saturday 17 October.
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| PNG v Lebanon, 17 October 2026 | To be played |
We’ll add the score and a short match report straight after full-time.
Every score from the tournament also goes on our results page.
Match Updates
14 October 2026: Page published with kick-off times, both official team lists, the head-to-head record and our prediction.
Next update: any late changes to either 17 in the hour before kick-off.
After full-time on 17 October, we’ll add the score and a short match report.
PNG vs Lebanon: FAQ
Here are quick answers to the questions fans ask most about PNG vs Lebanon.
Each answer starts with the key fact, so you can find it fast.
For full details, see the sections above.
What time is PNG vs Lebanon rugby league?
2:25pm Port Moresby time on Saturday 17 October 2026.
That’s 3:25pm in Sydney, 7:25am in Lebanon and 5:25am in the UK.
It’s the first match for both teams.
Where is PNG vs Lebanon being played?
At Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
It’s a double-header with PNG vs France in the women’s World Cup.
PNG’s second game, against Samoa, is at the same ground.
Have PNG and Lebanon played each other before?
No. This is set to be the first Test between the two nations.
Both teams reached the quarter-finals at the 2022 World Cup.
PNG lost to England and Lebanon lost to Australia.
Who are the coaches for PNG vs Lebanon?
Jason Demetriou coaches PNG, with Rhyse Martin as captain.
Michael Cheika coaches Lebanon.
Cheika has also coached Australia and Argentina in rugby union.
Conclusion
PNG vs Lebanon in Port Moresby on 17 October is a first meeting with a lot riding on it.
The Kumuls have the crowd and the form, but Lebanon have the NRL stars to cause an upset.
Bookmark this page for team changes and the result.
Follow both teams on our PNG next game and Lebanon next game pages, and visit rlwc2026.com for official news.
