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) .

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.

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Teams 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.

All kick-off times are in BST.

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

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

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)

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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)

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

Group A: Ireland v USA (3am)

Group A: England v Wales (4.30am)

Group B: France v Scotland (4am)

Group B: Australia v New Zealand (6.30am)

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)

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

Thursday November 12- Friday November 13