Rugby League World Cup 2026: Schedule, dates, format, results from men's, women's, and wheelchair tournaments

15.10.2026, 09:51 skysports.com

The 2026 Rugby League World Cup is just around the corner, with Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea playing host to the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments.

In the men's and women's tournaments, Australia are the defending champions. Meanwhile, England currently hold the title of world champions in the wheelchair competition.

The men's match gets the World Cup under way on Thursday October 15, with kick-off at 10.05am (BST) .

For England men, their first match is on Saturday October 17 against Tonga, with kick-off at 10.05am. Prior to that, England women start their title charge on the same day at 7.35am against Wales.

The wheelchair tournament gets going on Friday October 30, when England take on Wales at 4.30am.

The format of the Men's Rugby League World Cup is rather unusual.

The four teams in Group A will face each other. The two teams that finish top of the group will progress to the semi-finals.

However, things are a bit different for teams in Group B and C.

The teams in Group B will play the three teams in Group C and vice versa. They will not play the teams in their own group.

Results from these matches feed into a combined Group B and Group C table with the two-highest-ranked teams going through to the semi-finals.

The team that finishes top of that combined table will face the runner-up in Group A in the last four. The team that comes second will play the winner of Group A.

All kick-off times are in BST.

Thursday October 15

Group A: Australia v New Zealand - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)

Friday October 16

Group B/C: Samoa v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)

Saturday October 17

Group B/C: Papua New Guinea v Lebanon - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (5.25am)

Group B/C: England v Tonga - HBF Park, Perth (10.05am)

Sunday October 18

Group A: Fiji v Cook Islands - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.05am)

Friday October 23

Group B/C: Tonga v Lebanon - CommBank Stadium, Newcastle (10.05am)

Saturday October 24

Group B/C: Papua New Guinea v Samoa - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (5.25am)

Group B/C: England v France - HBF Park, Perth (7.35am)

Sunday October 25

Group A: New Zealand v Cook Islands - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (5.05am)

Group A: Australia v Fiji - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (9.05am)

Friday October 30

Group B/C: England v Papua New Guinea - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (9.05am)

Saturday October 31

Group A: New Zealand v Fiji - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (4.30am)

Group A: Australia v Cook Islands - Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville (9.05am)

Sunday November 1

Group B/C: Lebanon v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (6.40am)

Group B/C: Tonga v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)

Saturday November 7

Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (9.05am)

Sunday November 8

Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)

Sunday November 15

Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (8.35am)

Friday October 16

Group A: Australia v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)

Saturday October 17

Group B: Papua New Guinea v France - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (3.15am)

Group A: England v Wales - HBF Park, Perth (7.35am)

Sunday October 18

Group B: New Zealand v Fiji - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (3.50am)

Friday October 23

Group A: Samoa v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)

Saturday October 24

Group B: Fiji v Papua New Guinea - Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby (3.15am)

Group A: Australia v England - HBF Park, Perth (10.05am)

Sunday October 25

Group B: New Zealand v France - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (3.00am)

Friday October 30

Group A: England v Samoa - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (6.45am)

Saturday October 31

Group B: Fiji v France - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (6.45am)

Group B: New Zealand v Papua New Guinea - Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast (2.20am)

Sunday November 1

Group A: Australia v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (4.40am)

Saturday November 7

Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.45am)

Sunday November 8

Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (6.45am)

Sunday November 15

Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (5.10am)

Friday October 30

Group A: Ireland v USA (3am)

Group A: England v Wales (4.30am)

Saturday October 31

Group B: France v Scotland (4am)

Group B: Australia v New Zealand (6.30am)

Tuesday November 3

Group B: France v New Zealand (12am)

Group B: Australia v Scotland (2.30am)

Group A: Ireland v Wales (5am)

Group A: England v USA (7.30am)

Friday November 6

Group B: Scotland v New Zealand (12am)

Group A: Wales v USA (2.30am)

Group A: England v Ireland (6am)

Group B: France v Australia (8.30am)

Monday November 9- Tuesday November 10

Semi-Finals

Thursday November 12- Friday November 13

Final