The full draw for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup next year has been accidentally leaked ahead of schedule.
While it has since been removed, multiple reports revealed the schedule was inadvertently published in the hospitality section of the tournament’s official website.
As was already known, it showed the opening match will be played between tournament heavyweights Australia and New Zealand on October 15 with both nations appearing in Group A together with Fiji and Cook Islands.
England are set to play in Group B with Samoa and Lebanon, while Group C features Tonga, Papua New Guinea and France.
All ten nations will play three preliminary round matches, however the exact process to reach the semi-finals depends on their group.
In Group A, all teams will play each other once with the top TWO teams then qualifying for the semi-finals.
However in Groups B and C, each team will play everyone in the other group only—for example, England will not play Samoa—with only the top team in each group then qualifying for the semi-finals.
2026 Rugby League World Cup—Expected Groups
Group A
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands
Play each other once in group stage
Group B
Samoa, England, Lebanon
Play Group C teams once in group stage
Group C
Tonga, PNG, France
Play Group B teams once in group stage
2026 Rugby League World Cup—Notable Match-Ups
- Australia v New Zealand (October 15)
- England v Tonga (October 17)
- Papua New Guinea v Samoa (24th October)
- England v Papua New Guinea (30th October)
- Tonga v Samoa (November 1)
The World Cup semi-finals will be played on November 7 and 8 with the final on November 15 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Official confirmation of the draw is expected on Sunday afternoon.
