While the football world is still feeling the impact of the FIFA World Cup, another international tournament is beginning to capture fans’ attention, albeit on a very different scale. The 2026 Rugby League World Cup will bring together the top national teams in the sport between October 15 and November 15, with a format focused on economic sustainability, affordable ticket prices, and a more accessible experience for supporters. Although it shares some similarities with the football World Cup, such as being co-hosted by three nations and featuring players from the diaspora, its identity is built around a very different philosophy.
The tournament will be held across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, hosting three competitions simultaneously: the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair rugby league tournaments. In total, there will be 52 matches across 26 event days, played at 12 venues. The reduction in the number of teams in the men’s competition, combined with a more compact logistical plan, is designed to keep costs under control without sacrificing the sporting spectacle that defines rugby league.
A smaller World Cup designed to be more accessible
One of the biggest differences from the football World Cup is the tournament’s scale. While FIFA continues expanding the number of teams and matches to increase the event’s commercial reach, the International Rugby League (IRL) has chosen the opposite approach. The men’s tournament has been reduced from 16 to 10 teams, cutting the schedule from 31 matches to just 18 games, a decision driven by both financial and sporting considerations. The women’s and wheelchair rugby league tournaments will each continue to feature eight teams, creating a competition designed to concentrate the action and optimize resources.
This philosophy is also reflected in the ticket prices. Tickets for every match, including the opening game between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney and the final in Brisbane, start at just £20, while some double and triple-header matchdays can be enjoyed for around £10. The organizers aim to provide a more affordable fan experience, moving away from the high costs associated with many major sporting events and making it easier for more supporters to follow the tournament from the stands.
England, the diaspora, and the challenge of competing with the major powers
On the sporting side, England once again enters the tournament as the leading challenger to the dominance of Australia and New Zealand. The English team has reached the semifinals in each of the last three Rugby League World Cups but has repeatedly fallen just short of the final in tightly contested matches. If they defeat Tonga in their opening game, they are expected to face one of the Southern Hemisphere’s traditional powerhouses, a challenge that will largely define their ambitions in the tournament.
The competition will also once again highlight the role of diaspora players in international rugby league. As has recently become common in football, many national teams will include players born outside the countries they represent but who qualify through family heritage or ancestry. Teams such as Lebanon, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea combine locally developed talent with players competing in Australia’s and New Zealand’s professional leagues, a model that has significantly strengthened the overall competitiveness of the tournament. At the same time, the reduction in participating teams means saying goodbye to many of the stories that defined previous editions, when emerging nations had the opportunity to compete against the sport’s biggest powers and create unforgettable moments in Rugby League World Cup history.
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