The 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup qualification was announced on 15 December 2023. It featured four confederation qualification tournaments for each of the four International Rugby League confederations (Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East-Africa).
The winner of the Asia-Pacific tournament directly qualified for the World Cup, while the runner up qualified for the 2025 World Series — the tournament to determine the final World Cup qualification spot. The two group winners of Europe directly qualified for the World Cup, while the playoff winner of the two runners-up qualified for the 2025 World Series. The Confederations of Americas & Middle East-Africa did not feature any direct qualifications, with the respective winners qualifying for the 2025 World Series. The winner of the World Series secured the final qualification spot for the 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup.
Qualification was open to all full and affiliate member nations who did not receive automatic qualification from their results in the 2021 World Cup.
Qualified teams
TeamMethod ofqualificationDate ofqualificationTotaltimesqualifiedLasttimequalifiedCurrentconsecutiveappearancesPrevious bestperformance2021 Group A winners5 November 202242021 4Semi-finals (2008, 2013, 2017, 2021) 2021 Group A runners-up5 November 2022220212Semi-finals (2021) 2021 Group B winners6 November 202262021 6Winners (2013, 2017, 2021)2021 Group B runners-up6 November 2022620216Winners (2000, 2003, 2008)Europe Group A winners22 June 202411First appearanceEurope Group B winners22 June 2024520212Semi-finals (2013)Asia-Pacific winners2 November 2024320081Fifth-place (2003, 2008)World Series winners29 October 202511First appearance
Confederation tournaments Americas Americas qualification was intended to have been a four-way competition between Brazil, Canada, Jamaica and the US, with a semi-finals then final format based on IRL rankings, with the winner progressing to the 2025 World Series.
In June 2024, Brazil withdrew from the tournament due to funding and logistical difficulties.
Seeding and group draws The original draw and schedule was announced 30 January 2024 and would have seen Canada play Jamaica and the US play Brazil in the semi-finals.
TeamRanking7th11th16th22nd
The revised schedule saw Jamaica play USA in a single semi-final, with the winners playing Canada (who received a bye to the final) for the place in the World Series. Canada played a friendly against the USA Pioneers in lieu of their semi-final match, with Jamaica also facing the Pioneers as a result of losing their semi-final as a curtain-raiser before the final. Canada beat the Pioneers 80–0 and Jamaica beat the Pioneers 48–12.
Semi-final
Final
Asia-Pacific The 2024 Women's Pacific Bowl acted as qualification for the World Cup. First place qualified for the World Cup, second place qualified for the 2025 World Series.
Seeding and group draws The draw and schedule was announced 30 August 2024.
TeamRanking6th14th24th26th
Europe Seven teams entered into the competition. The two lowest ranked teams, Italy and the Netherlands, played each other in a preliminary play-off match. The resulting six teams were split into two groups of three. The two group winning countries qualified for the World Cup, while the runners up in each group contested a play-off for a spot in the 2025 World Series.
Seeding and group draws The draw for the groups was made on 17 January 2024, with fixtures confirmed on 7 February. Teams were seeded in pairs (highest ranked with second ranked, third with fourth and fifth with sixth) based on their IRL ranking on the date of the draw with one team from each pair in each group.
Group AGroup BTeamRankTeamRank8th5th9th10th/16th/18th12th
Preliminary playoff
Group stage
World Series playoff
The IRL World Rankings were updated in July 2024 following the group stage of the European qualification tournament. This saw Greece move up one spot to ninth and Ireland drop one spot to tenth. As a result, Greece hosted the World Series playoff.
Middle East-Africa hosted in a two match test series where the winner qualified for the 2025 World Series.
The series saw each team win one match and the aggregate score was 22-all. Under the tournament rules the team with the highest aggregate scores would advance but with the aggregate scores tied, the result had to move to the next deciding criteria. The next deciding criteria was tries scored. Again this was tied with each having scored four. The next deciding criteria was number of goals kicked, which saw Nigeria advance to the World Series with a three to two goal advantage.
World Series
The 2025 Women's Rugby League World Series was the final qualification phase for 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup.
The series was played by: (Americas winner) (Asia-Pacific runner-up) (European group runners-up playoff winner) (Middle East-Africa winners)
The winner qualified for the World Cup.
In March 2025, when announcing the tournament structure, Canada was also announced as the host nation.
Draws IRL Women's World RankingsOfficial rankings as of December 2024RankTeam7 3199 11716 10817 18
The draw for the competition was based on rank with 1st playing 4th and 2nd playing 3rd in the semi-finals.
Squads
Canada Canada announced an extended 33-woman squad on 10 September. This was reduced to 20 on 14 October.
Head Coach: Matt Barron
Player ClubMaddy Aberg Alberta BroncosJessica BatemanGrace CampbellAlanna FittesDanielle FranadaBrittany JonesRebecca KochukAle LewisSarah MaguireElizabeth SteeleRenee Gonzalez BC StormGabrielle HindleyAda OkonkwoAlayna ScramstadMegan Pakulis Gold Coast TitansLauren Mueller London BroncosSara Canini Ontario OspreyJessica JoubarneBritteny KassilEleta MittonNatasha NaismithFedelia OmoghanCandace Kelly ScholtenBeth HoffstetterMaddie HobsonAndie GirardTamisha ToussaintPetra Woods Savanna Bacchus Otahuhu Leopards Rachel Choboter Chantelle Crowl St HelensCaitlin Sears SydnehamLaura Mariu Free Agent
Fiji Fiji announced an extended 25-woman squad on 19 September. This was reduced to 20 on 15 October.
Head Coach: Joe Dakuitoga
Player ClubTahila Marshall Brisbane TigersTeaghan Hartigan Burleigh BearsEbony LaingSienna LaingSereana Naitokatoka Canberra RaidersIsabella WatermanIlisapeci Bari Canterbury BulldogsLatisha SmytheTalei Holmes Cronulla SharksCassie StaplesTahlia Marshall Easts TigersElizabeth Naleba Ipswich JetsTanika NewtonAsham Leilani Newcastle KnightsRory Muller Parramatta EelsJosiliva Vere Moceinacagi Police SharksKelilani Manu South Sydney RabbitohsLuisa YaranamuMaria Paseka St George Illawarra DragonsTaina Naividi Sydney RoostersMere Kilawekana USP RaidersNaomi TeguKinisalote VusawaJoy Levy Wests TigersLosana LutuNunia Kawa Yasawa Saints
Ireland Ireland announced an extended 33-woman squad on 18 September. This was reduced to 20 on 15 October.
Head Coach: Matt Kennerson
Player ClubMartha Dwyer Aspley DevilsTrisha DoyleKatie Ann McCallion Banbridge BroncosRachel MortonJemma Gallagher Corrimal CougarsMolly Boyne Dublin City ExilesLisa CallanAimee ClarkeAlice FitzgeraldNiamh GriffinEmma KellyLena KiblerOrlaith McAuliffeCaoimhe MolloyKatie Ann O'NeillCliodhna O'SullivanAnna PottertonAine RutleyRoisin Crowe Engadine DragonsStacy Hanley Galway TribeswomenAifric Ni GhibneHolly O'DwyerMegan Preston Huddersfield GiantsStorm Cobain Leigh LeopardsMolly YoungIona Mcusker London BroncosPolly RobertsJade WalkerStephanie Carroll MountiesSarah Madison BoyleLydia Egan Salford Red DevilsLily Rogan Wests TigersBecky Webb Widnes Vikings
Nigeria Nigeria announced an extended 35-woman squad on 12 September. This was reduced to 20 on 18 October.
Head Coach: Bolu Fagborun
Player ClubFaustina Akeje Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsChinaza Abbah Eko TrinityJaphet AkpanwaMmesona IbezilimRachel IliyaShukurat NojimuCynthia ObiEndurance UkwuomaBlessing UmudeElizabeth Adie Kano LionsRuth OdeyRukayat Akinade Lagos BullsBlessing AladeyeluLauretta BayereChukwunekwu DivineAdaeze InnocentRukayat JimohMuinat OsenAminah Oluwabunmi London BroncosDanyelle ShobanjoCatherine Akeje Oran Park Gregory Hills ChargersAdeola King Ottawa TigersVera Akhihiero R2 Finesse AcademyKafayat AshagbesoroAyewe HelenSuccess IyohaPerpetual NwannaAbiola ObazuayeBecky OkitikpeAdaolisa Thecular OnyedikachiOlaitan SanusiFavour Irimagha Sheffield EaglesShondell Akhabue Wentworthville MagpiesAnnique Omodiagbe Wests TigersGrace Oreofe David Zaria BeesFaustina AkejeFree Agent
Fixtures Fixtures for the tournament were initially confirmed in March, and would see the two semi-finals in Brampton with the final in Toronto. In July, the fixtures were revised to include a third-place playoff, and would see all four game played in Brampton. The third-place playoff had no bearing on World Cup qualification but did count for world ranking purposes.
Semi-finals
Third-place playoff
Final
Broadcasting All four matches were streamed globally on CBC Sports YouTube channel.
Notes
References