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The Rugby League World Cup will be shown live in the UK and Ireland on Premier Sports, with the BBC notably not covering the sport's biggest tournament on TV.
The men's competition begins on Thursday, October 15, when Australia take on New Zealand in a battle of the co-hosts at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
England will then open their campaign against Tonga in Perth on Saturday, October 17.
With the tournament being jointly hosted by Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, the matches will take place in the morning for UK viewers, with kickoff times ranging from 4:30am to 10:05am.
Here, Sports Mole runs you through exactly how to watch the games, as well as breaking down the unusual format and England's possible path to the final.
- Dates
- Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Hosts
- Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea
- Men's tournament
- 10 teams, 18 matches
- Format
- Pool A (four teams) and a combined Pool B and Pool C table (six teams); four teams reach the semi-finals
- Opening match
- Australia vs. New Zealand, Allianz Stadium, Sydney (10:05am UK time)
- England's first match
- England vs. Tonga, HBF Park, Perth, Saturday, October 17 (10:05am UK time)
- Semi-finals
- Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8 (9:05am UK time)
- Final
- Sunday, November 15, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (8:35am UK time)
How to watch the Rugby League World Cup in the UK
Premier Sports holds exclusive rights to the Rugby League World Cup in the UK and Ireland, so the tournament is available on subscription television only.
The broadcaster will show all 18 men's matches live, including the semi-finals and the final.
Coverage of the women's and wheelchair tournaments is more limited. Premier Sports will show every England match in both competitions, along with the semi-finals and finals, and may add further matches depending on scheduling.
The men's and women's finals are due to be played as a double-header on Sunday, November 15.
Premier Sports also plans full studio presentation around every England fixture, with analysis and reaction throughout the tournament.
Viewers will need a Premier Sports subscription, which can be arranged through the broadcaster's website.
- Broadcaster
- Premier Sports (exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland)
- Free-to-air options
- None. The BBC is not covering the tournament
- Men's tournament
- All 18 matches live
- Women's and wheelchair
- All England matches, plus the semi-finals and finals
- Studio coverage
- Full presentation around every England fixture
- Kickoff times
- Between 4:30am and 10:05am UK time for every men's match
Is the Rugby League World Cup on the BBC or free-to-air?
No. The BBC showed the 2022 World Cup and all three Ashes Tests in 2025, but it opted against covering this tournament.
Premier Sports showed matches from the 2013 and 2017 World Cups before the BBC took over, and the broadcaster now returns with exclusive rights.
Because those rights are exclusive, there is no free-to-air live coverage for UK viewers.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 fixtures and UK kickoff times
| UK time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 15 (BST) | ||
| 10:05am | Australia vs. New ZealandRound 1, Pool A | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
| Friday, October 16 (BST) | ||
| 7:45am | Samoa vs. FranceRound 1, Pool B | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Saturday, October 17 (BST) | ||
| 5:25am | Papua New Guinea vs. LebanonRound 1, Pool B | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby |
| 10:05am | England vs. TongaEnglandRound 1, Pool B | HBF Park, Perth |
| Sunday, October 18 (BST) | ||
| 6:05am | Fiji vs. Cook IslandsRound 1, Pool A | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle |
| Friday, October 23 (BST) | ||
| 10:05am | Tonga vs. LebanonRound 2, Pool B | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Saturday, October 24 (BST) | ||
| 5:25am | Papua New Guinea vs. SamoaRound 2, Pool B | Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby |
| 7:35am | England vs. FranceEnglandRound 2, Pool B | HBF Park, Perth |
| Sunday, October 25 (GMT) | ||
| 5:05am | New Zealand vs. Cook IslandsRound 2, Pool A | One NZ Stadium, Christchurch |
| 9:05am | Australia vs. FijiRound 2, Pool A | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Friday, October 30 (GMT) | ||
| 9:05am | England vs. Papua New GuineaEnglandRound 3, Pool B | WIN Stadium, Wollongong |
| Saturday, October 31 (GMT) | ||
| 4:30am | New Zealand vs. FijiRound 3, Pool A | Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast |
| 9:05am | Australia vs. Cook IslandsRound 3, Pool A | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville |
| Sunday, November 1 (GMT) | ||
| 6:40am | Lebanon vs. FranceRound 3, Pool B | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| 9:05am | Tonga vs. SamoaRound 3, Pool B | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| Saturday, November 7 (GMT) | ||
| 9:05am | TBA vs. TBASemi-final | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle |
| Sunday, November 8 (GMT) | ||
| 9:05am | TBA vs. TBASemi-final | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
| Sunday, November 15 (GMT) | ||
| 8:35am | TBA vs. TBAFinal | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
Kickoff times and broadcast details can change, so it is worth checking with Premier Sports closer to each match.
England's Rugby League World Cup fixtures
England are in the combined Pool B and Pool C group alongside France, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
Each team plays three group matches, so Brian McDermott's side will not face Samoa or Lebanon.
They begin against Tonga at HBF Park in Perth on Saturday, October 17 (10:05am) before meeting France at the same ground a week later.
Their final group match is against Papua New Guinea at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Friday, October 30.
The top two teams from the combined Pool B and Pool C table progress to the semi-finals.
How does the Rugby League World Cup format work?
The men's tournament features 10 teams in two sections.
Pool A is a conventional four-team group, with Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji and New Zealand each playing the other three once.
The remaining six teams, from Pool B and Pool C, are handled differently.
How the Pool B and Pool C merge works
Pool B and Pool C are combined into a single six-team table.
England, Samoa and Lebanon do not play one another, and neither do Tonga, France and Papua New Guinea, but each team in the first trio plays each team in the second.
That produces nine group matches, and every one of them counts towards the same table.
| Team | Tonga | France | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Saturday, October 1710:05am | Saturday, October 247:35am | Friday, October 309:05am |
| Samoa | Sunday, November 19:05am | Friday, October 167:45am | Saturday, October 245:25am |
| Lebanon | Friday, October 2310:05am | Sunday, November 16:40am | Saturday, October 175:25am |
The top two teams on that combined table progress to the semi-finals. The semi-finals have four places in total, so the other two go to teams from Pool A.
In other words, only two of the six teams in the combined table go through, compared with two of the four in Pool A.
The merge also means that a team's rivals for qualification include sides it never plays.
For example, England face Tonga, France and Papua New Guinea, but their position will also depend on how Samoa and Lebanon perform against those same opponents.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 knockout stage
The group stage ends on Sunday, November 1.
The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, November 7 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle and Sunday, November 8 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, with the final on Sunday, November 15 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 groups
| Pos | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Australia |
| 2 | Cook Islands |
| 3 | Fiji |
| 4 | New Zealand |
| Pos | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | England |
| 2 | France |
| 3 | Lebanon |
| 4 | Papua New Guinea |
| 5 | Samoa |
| 6 | Tonga |
Rugby League World Cup 2026 venues
The men's matches are being played at 10 stadiums across nine cities in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
- Sydney: Allianz Stadium and CommBank Stadium
- Perth: HBF Park
- Newcastle: McDonald Jones Stadium
- Brisbane: Suncorp Stadium
- Wollongong: WIN Stadium
- Gold Coast: Cbus Super Stadium
- Townsville: Queensland Country Bank Stadium
- Christchurch: One NZ Stadium
- Port Moresby: Santos National Football Stadium
Women's and wheelchair tournaments
The women's and wheelchair tournaments are staged alongside the men's event.
Premier Sports will show all England matches in both, plus the semi-finals and finals, and the wheelchair final is due on Friday, November 13.
Full schedules are available on the official tournament website.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 FAQs
What channel is the Rugby League World Cup on in the UK?
Premier Sports has exclusive rights to show the tournament in the UK and Ireland.
Is the Rugby League World Cup on the BBC?
No. The BBC is not covering the 2026 tournament.
Is the Rugby League World Cup free to watch in the UK?
No. Viewers need access to Premier Sports, as the rights are exclusive and there is no free-to-air coverage.
When does the Rugby League World Cup start?
The tournament begins on Thursday, October 15, 2026, with Australia vs. New Zealand in Sydney, and finishes with the final on Sunday, November 15.
Where is the 2026 Rugby League World Cup being held?
Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are co-hosting, with matches in nine cities.
When is the Rugby League World Cup final?
The final is on Sunday, November 15 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, with a UK kickoff of 8:35am.
When do England play at the Rugby League World Cup?
England face Tonga on Saturday, October 17 (10:05am), France on Saturday, October 24 (7:35am) and Papua New Guinea on Friday, October 30 (9:05am). All times are UK times.
How many teams are in the men's Rugby League World Cup?
There are 10 teams: Australia, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
How does the Rugby League World Cup format work?
Pool A has four teams who each play one another once. Pool B and Pool C are merged into one six-team table, in which every team plays the three teams from the other group. The top two on the combined table reach the semi-finals, with the other two places going to Pool A teams.
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