Ten nations will compete in the men’s Rugby League World Cup 2026, spread across three pools in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Below you’ll find every team, their pool, and a summary of their Rugby League World Cup history heading into the 2026 tournament.
🇦🇺 Australia (Kangaroos) — Pool A
Australia are the most successful nation in Rugby League World Cup history and enter 2026 as defending champions. The Kangaroos have won the tournament a record 12 times, most recently defeating Samoa 30–10 in the 2021 World Cup final (played in 2022 at Old Trafford), which secured their third consecutive title following wins in 2013 and 2017. No other nation has come close to matching Australia’s overall World Cup dominance.
- World Cup titles: 12 (most of any nation)
- Most recent final: Won, 2021/2022 (beat Samoa 30–10)
- Current streak: 3 consecutive titles (2013, 2017, 2022)
🇳🇿 New Zealand (Kiwis) — Pool A
New Zealand are the only nation besides Australia and the old Great Britain side to have won the World Cup, claiming their sole title in 2008 with a 34–20 win over Australia in Brisbane. The Kiwis have reached multiple finals since and remain one of the tournament’s most consistent top-four sides, falling to Australia in the 2022 semi-final 16–14.
- World Cup titles: 1 (2008, beat Australia 34–20)
- Recent form: Lost 2022 semi-final to Australia, 16–14
🏴 England — Pool B/C
England (previously competing as part of Great Britain, who won three early titles before the 1995 split) reached the World Cup final in 1995, losing 16–8 to Australia. As hosts of the 2021 tournament, England reached the semi-finals on home soil in 2022 before being eliminated by Samoa in a dramatic 27–26 contest at the Emirates Stadium.
- Best result (as England): Runner-up, 1995
- Recent form: Lost 2022 semi-final to Samoa, 27–26
🇼🇸 Samoa — Pool B/C
Samoa produced the standout story of the last World Cup, becoming the first Pacific nation to reach a men’s World Cup final. After stunning host nation England in the semi-final, Samoa lost the 2021 final to Australia 30–10 — still their best-ever World Cup result and a marker of the Pacific nations’ rising strength heading into 2026.
- Best result: Runner-up, 2021/2022 (first Pacific nation to reach a final)
- Recent form: Beat England in the semi-final, 27–26
🇹🇴 Tonga — Pool B/C
Tonga’s breakthrough came in 2017, when a wave of high-profile players chose to represent their heritage nation. Tonga beat New Zealand 28–22 in the group stage that year and went on to reach their first-ever semi-final, a result that remains their best World Cup finish. They exited the 2022 tournament at the quarter-final stage.
- Best result: Semi-final, 2017 (first appearance at that stage)
- Notable win: Beat New Zealand 28–22 in 2017 group stage
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea — Pool B/C
Rugby league is the national sport in Papua New Guinea, and the country co-hosted the 2017 World Cup alongside Australia and New Zealand. PNG has competed in the tournament since the 1990s and continues to build toward a first deep knockout run, with 2026 marking another home-region appearance as co-hosts.
- Tournament history: Regular competitor since the 1990s; co-hosted 2017 and co-hosts 2026
- Best result: Group/quarter-final stage appearances
🇫🇯 Fiji — Pool A
Fiji have quietly become one of the tournament’s most consistent performers, reaching three World Cup semi-finals in recent tournaments. Their standout moment came in 2017, edging New Zealand 4–2 in a tense quarter-final to reach the last four — a famous upset that announced Fiji as a genuine top-tier threat.
- Best result: Semi-final (three appearances)
- Notable win: Beat New Zealand 4–2 in the 2017 quarter-final
🇫🇷 France — Pool B/C
France has never won the World Cup but holds a unique piece of tournament history: the French were runners-up in the very first World Cup in 1954, losing the final to Great Britain 16–12 on home soil in Paris. France has reached multiple finals across the tournament’s history without ever winning one, making them one of the competition’s most storied non-champion nations.
- Best result: Runner-up (multiple finals, including the inaugural 1954 tournament)
- World Cup titles: 0
🇱🇧 Lebanon — Pool B/C
Lebanon made their World Cup debut in 2000 and have grown into a competitive tier-two nation, drawing on a strong diaspora talent base from the NRL. Their best World Cup run came in 2017, where they pushed Tonga to the brink in a thrilling quarter-final before falling 24–22.
- Best result: Quarter-final, 2017 (lost narrowly to Tonga, 24–22)
- World Cup debut: 2000
🇨🇰 Cook Islands — Pool A
The Cook Islands debuted at the 2000 World Cup and have historically featured as one of the tournament’s developing nations, with their results to date mostly at pool/group stage. The program has shown recent momentum outside the World Cup, including regional silverware in the Pacific Championships, as it builds toward 2026.
- World Cup debut: 2000
- Best result: Group/pool stage
📊 World Cup Titles at a Glance
| Team | World Cup Titles | Best Result |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 12 | Champions (12x, most recently 2022) |
| New Zealand | 1 | Champions (2008) |
| England / Great Britain* | 3 (pre-1995, as Great Britain) | Runner-up as England (1995) |
| Samoa | 0 | Runner-up (2021/2022) |
| Tonga | 0 | Semi-final (2017) |
| Fiji | 0 | Semi-final (3x) |
| France | 0 | Runner-up (multiple finals) |
| Papua New Guinea | 0 | Group/quarter-final stage |
| Lebanon | 0 | Quarter-final (2017) |
| Cook Islands | 0 | Group/pool stage |
*Great Britain competed as a unified team before splitting into England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland from 1995 onward. England’s tournament record above reflects results since that split.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which team has won the most Rugby League World Cups?
Australia, with 12 titles — by far the most of any nation in the tournament’s history.
Has any team other than Australia, New Zealand, or Great Britain won the World Cup?
No. Those three are the only nations to have ever won the men’s Rugby League World Cup, though Samoa came closest among newer contenders by reaching the 2021/2022 final.
Which RLWC 2026 team has the best recent form?
Australia enter as defending champions on a three-tournament winning streak, but Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji have all reached the semi-finals or better in recent editions and are considered the strongest challengers among the Pacific nations.
How many teams are in the men’s RLWC 2026 tournament?
Ten nations are competing across the pools: Australia, New Zealand, England, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, France, Lebanon, and Cook Islands.
This page is independently maintained and not affiliated with the official Rugby League World Cup 2026 organization. Always confirm official squad announcements on the relevant national federation’s website.