Rugby League World Cup 2026 News: Latest Updates

Did you know the Rugby League World Cup 2026 opener drew a record crowd of 41,255 to Allianz Stadium in Sydney?

It was a night of big moments, big injuries and a debut hat-trick, and the World Cup news hasn’t stopped since.

The biggest Rugby League World Cup news today: England beat France 82-0 in Perth to revive their semi-final hopes, and the Jillaroos beat England 78-0 but lost Julia Robinson to a suspected fractured wrist.

Round 2 ends on Sunday 25 October with New Zealand v Cook Islands in Christchurch and Australia v Fiji in Brisbane.

Below, you’ll find the latest injury news, team news, results and what the new format means for every team.

We update this page every day of the tournament, with the newest stories at the top and links to the full details.

Latest Rugby League World Cup News

England beat France 82-0 in Perth, a record margin, with hat-tricks for Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young. See our England vs France page.

The Jillaroos beat England 78-0, with Olivia Kernick named Player of the Match. See our Jillaroos vs England page.

Earlier, Samoa beat PNG 64-6 in Port Moresby, and Fiji Women beat the PNG Orchids 40-4. See our PNG vs Samoa page.

See every score so far on our Rugby League World Cup results page.

Rugby League World Cup Injury News

Jillaroos centre Julia Robinson was forced off against England with a suspected fractured wrist, NRL.com reported.

England’s Eva Hunter left the field with a left ankle injury. Fran Goldthorp hurt her left arm but finished the game.

France centre Latrell Siegwalt went off with a shoulder injury in the 82-0 loss to England, NRL.com reported.

For every player ruled out of the tournament, see our Rugby League World Cup 2026 injury list.

England vs France Result: Record Win in Perth

England led 36-0 at half-time at HBF Park and kept France scoreless all game.

Herbie Farnworth scored a first-half hat-trick, and Dom Young also finished with three tries.

AJ Brimson was Player of the Match, with three try assists and a try, NRL.com reported.

England play PNG in their final pool match, while France face Lebanon on Sunday 1 November.

See the score, team lists and talking points on our England vs France page.

Rugby League World Cup Team News

PNG captain Rhyse Martin was chaired off after his final game in PNG, the 64-6 loss to Samoa, NRL.com reported.

Makenzie Weale scored on her Jillaroos debut in the 78-0 win over England in Perth.

Sam Walker, Bradman Best and Blayke Brailey make their Test debuts against Fiji on Sunday, and David Fifita makes his Kangaroos debut, NRL.com reported.

Keano Kini replaces the injured Kalyn Ponga at fullback for New Zealand against the Cook Islands on Sunday.

See the latest sides on our Rugby League World Cup 2026 team lists page.

How Does the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Format Work?

This World Cup uses a new format, so one loss can be costly.

England, Samoa and Lebanon each play Tonga, France and PNG. All six teams then sit on one ladder, and only the top two reach the semi-finals.

Head-to-head results decide ties first, then points difference, NRL.com explains. That’s why England’s 30-12 loss to Tonga hurts so much.

The Tonga vs Samoa game on 1 November is already sold out. See how the knockouts work on our Rugby League World Cup semi-final page.

Rugby League World Cup News Updates

24 October 2026 (evening): Added England 82-0 France, Jillaroos 78-0 England, Samoa 64-6 PNG and Julia Robinson’s wrist injury.

23 October 2026 (evening): Added Tonga 36-0 Lebanon, Samoa Women’s record 76-0 win over Wales and Isaiya Katoa’s ankle update.

We add new stories every day until the final in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November, so bookmark this page and check back daily for the latest Rugby League World Cup news.

Rugby League World Cup News: FAQ

Here are quick answers to the questions fans ask most about the latest World Cup news.

Each answer starts with the key fact, so you can find it fast.

For full details, see the sections above.

What is the latest Rugby League World Cup news?

England beat France 82-0 in Perth on Saturday 24 October, with AJ Brimson named Player of the Match.

The Jillaroos beat England 78-0, but Julia Robinson came off with a suspected fractured wrist.

Round 2 ends on Sunday with New Zealand v Cook Islands in Christchurch and Australia v Fiji in Brisbane.

Is Julia Robinson injured?

Yes. Robinson was forced off with a suspected fractured wrist against England on 24 October.

It happened in the Jillaroos’ 78-0 win at HBF Park in Perth.

Australia play Wales in their last pool game, and we’ll add any scan news once it’s confirmed.

Is Kalyn Ponga injured?

Yes. Ponga broke his arm late in New Zealand’s 24-22 loss to Australia on 15 October.

He has had surgery and will stay in camp with the Kiwis.

Keano Kini replaces him at fullback against the Cook Islands in Christchurch on Sunday.

Conclusion

The Rugby League World Cup 2026 is off to a dramatic start, with a record crowd and a 24-22 thriller in Sydney.

Kalyn Ponga and Mitch Moses are the big injury worries, while Jack Bostock is the first star of the tournament.

With a new format where one loss can end a campaign, every Round 2 game next weekend matters.

Bookmark this page and check back every day for the latest team news, injuries and results.