Rugby League World Cup 2026: Schedule, dates, format, results

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) . McDermott explains Connor exclusion and Lewis inclusion for World CupMcDermott names England's 23-player squad for World CupGet Sky Sports or stream contract-free on NOWChoose the Sky Sports notifications you wantFor 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. Twitter This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only. Men's PoolsGroup A: Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, FijiGroup B: England, Lebanon, SamoaGroup C: France, Papua New Guinea, TongaTeams in Pools B and C face off in inter-pool matches with teams in one pool, playing all three of their group games against each team in the opposing pool. Results from these inter-pool matches feed into a combined ladder where the 2 highest ranked teams will progress to the semi-finals. Women's PoolsGroup A: Australia, England, Samoa, WalesGroup B: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France, FijiWheelchair PoolsGroup A: England, Ireland, Wales, USAGroup B: France, Australia, Scotland, New ZealandMen's FixturesAll kick-off times are in BST. Image: England are based in Perth for the majority of the group stages Thursday October 15Group A: Australia v New Zealand - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)Friday October 16Group B/C: Samoa v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)Saturday October 17Group 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 18Group A: Fiji v Cook Islands - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.05am)Friday October 23Group B/C: Tonga v Lebanon - CommBank Stadium, Newcastle (10.05am)Saturday October 24Group 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 25Group A: New Zealand v Cook Islands - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (5.05am)Group A: Australia v Fiji - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (9.05am)Friday October 30Group B/C: England v Papua New Guinea - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (9.05am)Saturday October 31Group 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 1Group B/C: Lebanon v France - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (6.40am)Group B/C: Tonga v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)Saturday November 7Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (9.05am)Sunday November 8Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (9.05am)Sunday November 15Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (8.35am)Women's Fixtures Image: Woman of Steel Jenna Foubister will play in her first World Cup Friday October 16Group A: Australia v Samoa - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (10.05am)Saturday October 17Group 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 18Group B: New Zealand v Fiji - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (3.50am)Friday October 23Group A: Samoa v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (7.45am)Saturday October 24Group 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 25Group B: New Zealand v France - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch (3.00am)Friday October 30Group A: England v Samoa - WIN Stadium, Wollongong (6.45am)Saturday October 31Group 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 1Group A: Australia v Wales - CommBank Stadium, Sydney (4.40am)Saturday November 7Semi-Final 1: TBC v TBC - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (6.45am)Sunday November 8Semi-Final 2: TBC v TBC - Allianz Stadium, Sydney (6.45am)Sunday November 15Final: TBC v TBC - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (5.10am)Wheelchair FixturesFriday October 30Group A: Ireland v USA (3am)Group A: England v Wales (4.30am)Saturday October 31Group B: France v Scotland (4am)Group B: Australia v New Zealand (6.30am)Tuesday November 3Group 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 6Group 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-FinalsThursday November 12- Friday November 13 Final