Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the men’s and women’s Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) grand finals next year.
Games will also be shared with Port Moresby and New Zealand while the entire wheelchair tournament will be held in Wollongong, with the fixtures just released.
The RLWC will feature men’s (10 teams), women’s (eight teams) and wheelchair (eight teams) tournaments.
The Cup will run from October 15–November 15, 2026, spread across Port Moresby, Christchurch, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Wollongong and Townsville.
The PNG men’s and women’s teams will play two of their three pool games in Port Moresby while the New Zealand sides will only play one pool game in New Zealand.
Brisbane will also host the Kangaroos-Fiji men’s game with the Gold Coast and Townsville the other Queensland host cities.
NSW will host the opener with a trans-Tasman double header in the men’s and women’s tournaments at Allianz Stadium (Moore Park).
And the premiers of Queensland and NSW have been quick to promote their respective state’s rugby league and events credentials.
NSW Premier Chris Minns says “NSW is the nation’s heartland of rugby league, and this announcement ensures our fans will get to see the world’s best players right here at home”.
“… hosting key matches in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong gives fans across the state a chance to be part of the international celebration of one of our favourite sports.”
NSW Tourism and Sports Minister Steve Kamper says the fixture is “another big win for our state and for fans”.
“Fans will pack Allianz Stadium for the blockbuster opening game between Australia and New Zealand,” he says.
“From Parramatta to Newcastle to Wollongong, supporters will enjoy an international festival of rugby league that strengthens NSW as Australia’s home of major events.”
RLWC IN QUEENSLAND
Meanwhile, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli claims that having three of the eight host cities is an “unparalleled” opportunity to showcase these cities as Brisbane readies to host the Olympics in 2032.
“This allows us to continue to position Queensland at the forefront of international sport and send a clear signal we can compete at the highest level on and off the field,” he says.
“We also know Queenslanders are rugby league mad and, together with the visitors expected to travel for the games, will create an unmatched atmosphere.”
Tourism Minister Andrew Powell says locking in key RLWC matches such as two grand finals was a sign of their determination to secure major events.
“We are serious about making Queensland the events capital of the nation; that will have huge positive impacts for the state’s visitor economy,” he says.
“These matches will attract 110,000 interstate and international visitors, injecting more than $18 million into the state.”
Powell says they want the global spotlight on Queensland in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Craig Davidson says that global events like the RLWC are key tourism drivers that can benefit the state.
“In addition to strengthening our state’s sporting legacy, the RLWC’s impact is far reaching, attracting passionate fans to our state to not only attend matches but stay, dine and explore,” he says.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says they are “thrilled” to host matches that will deliver significant benefits for the region.
“… to see the world’s best players take to the field here is something Gold Coasters will really get behind,” he says.
WA GOVT REACTS
Perth will host two double-header RLWC matches at HBF Park across two weekends in the first two rounds.
WA has secured matches involving Australia, England, Wales, Tonga and France, and every team in Perth will be hosted by a local rugby league club with training sessions open to the public.
The Cup comes ahead of the Perth Bears’ debut season in the NRL in 2027.
WA Premier Roger Cook says hosting Cup games will add to the excitement of the Bears’ entry into the RN: “there is no better time to be a WA League fan.”
For more information, visit: Rugby League World Cup website.
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