The ten nations that will compete in the 2026 men’s Rugby League World Cup are now locked in, with the Cook Islands clinching the last spot via a comfortable 58-6 play-off victory over South Africa in Sydney.
As the the only full-member nations of the IRL for their respective confederations, the Cook Islands (Asia-Pacific), Jamaica (Americas) and South Africa (Middle East-Africa) automatically advanced into the second round of qualifying.
France meanwhile won the European first round qualifying campaign last autumn to book their place in what should have been a World Series between the four nations with two spots up for grabs in next year’s World Cup.
But with no suitable bids to host said World Series received, it was instead decided that two play-off games would decide who took the last two spots at next autumn’s World Cup, with those games split across the two hemispheres.
France thumped Jamaica 36-0 in Albi last month in the Northern Hemisphere play-off to book their spot at the World Cup.
And that left one spot up for grabs, with the Cook Islands and South Africa doing battle in Sydney in the Southern Hemisphere play-off.
The Kuki’s won convincingly, and thus claimed the final spot in the 2026 showpiece.
Cook Islands clinch last spot at 2026 Rugby League World Cup
Toulouse Olympique duo Paul Ulberg and Reubenn Rennie both featured for the Kuki’s alongside Salford Red Devils’ Esan Marsters, who is believed to be on his way to Super League new boys Bradford Bulls ahead of 2026.
Ulberg grabbed the first of 11 tries scored by the Kuki’s in their play-off clash against South Africa, with Marsters also on the scoresheet midway through the first half.
Notably, Marsters also slotted home three first half conversions, with South Africa’s only response on the day a try from Luke Pereira De Vlieg which actually levelled things up at 6-6 once it had been converted by team-mate Niel Beukes early on.
Aden Perry was sin-binned for the Rhinos on the half-hour mark, with 3,245 in attendance.
Eight spots at next year’s World Cup were handed out to the nations that reached the quarter-finals of the most recent showpiece back in 2022: Australia, England, Fiji, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
Play-off winners France and the Cook Islands both take their spots in the tournament taking place across Australia and Papua New Guinea next autumn alongside those eight.
Accordingly, here’s the line-up in full for the 2026 Men’s Rugby League World Cup…
In alphabetical order
- Australia
- Cook Islands
- England
- Fiji
- France
- Lebanon
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Tonga
