Thursday morning marks the start of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup with the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair tournaments all taking place down under as Australia, New Zealand Papua New Guinea host the competition.

Ahead of game one, which sees favourites Australia host New Zealand in the men’s competition, we’ve made our predictions for each of the three tournaments.

Australia are the holders of both the men’s and women’s competitions, winning those in England at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, whilst it is England who are the holders of the wheelchair title.

Will each holder defend their crown? Will a new name be etched upon the trophy? Who are the dark horses to back? It’s time for our predictions with the categories being winner, dark horses, top try scorer, and the player of the tournament, in each of the respective competitions.

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2026 Rugby League World Cup predictions

Winner

Mens: Australia

It’s incredibly hard to ignore Australia despite numerous reasons emerging to make a case against them. The lack of Nathan Cleary is an obvious one with a new halves pairing of Cameron Munster and Mitchell Moses to be tested out. There’s also not a single winger in the squad with Kevin Walters instead playing centres Jack Bostock and Tom Trbojevic on the wings, however, the Kangaroos are still overwhelming favourites and should have enough to defend their crown.

Womens: Australia

Like in the men’s tournament, it’s really hard to ignore Australia, but unlike in the men’s competition, there aren’t really any red flags. The Jillaroos were dominant in the 2022 final and there’s no suggestion that will be any different this year,

Wheelchair: England

An England win would mean that all three trophies are defended, at least per these predictions, and that’s what we’re going with. Other nations are catching up and France are always a tough test but England simply are the best team in the world. Now is their time to prove it.

Dark Horse

Mens: Tonga

This prediction could go out of the window by Saturday midday as the opening game against England is essential for Tonga to win but if Kristian Woolf’s side do, then they’re in a very strong position to make the semi-finals. Their clash with Samoa is another massive one and you’d suggest that the winner of that will be the big challenger to Australia and New Zealand but with Isaiya Katoa playing off the back of an incredible pack, Tonga are our dark horses.

Womens: England

It’s impossible to make a genuine case for most teams in this competition so England perhaps aren’t a true dark horse but they’re a distant fourth favourite with Australia 1/20, New Zealand 10/1, Samoa 25/1 and England a 50/1 shot. But those odds seem far too high as England’s strength is in their naivety, something that has been exemplified at Wigan in recent years. A strong Wigan contingent heads to the World Cup and with NRLW stars such as Jasmin Strange added, England will be fearless and that’s really exciting and could see them spring a surprise.

Wheelchair: Scotland

Scotland are one of those nations who are catching up to England and France and they’re making big strides in part because Edinburgh Giants are now in Super League. They won five of their 14 games this season and were effectively best of the rest behind the traditional powerhouse sides. They also have former England World Cup winner James Simpson-Hill in their team although they’re in a tough group with Australia, France and New Zealand.

Player of the tournament

Mens: Harry Grant

Grant is quite simply the best dummy-half in rugby league and with a spine that perhaps isn’t too experienced together, the control that he brings will be essential. One of the standouts at the Ashes, Grant will surely be among the very best at this competition.

Womens: Tarryn Aitken

Aitken just missed out on the Dally M in the NRLW this year, placing third in votes behind full-back Tamika Upton, and it’s likely that one of the two will claim this award. The 27-year-old Aitken will guide the Jillaroos around the park and should continue her very impressive international career that’s seen her score five tries in just six games.

Wheelchair: Jack Brown

Brown is a true trailblazer of the sport and simply one of, if not the, best player in the world and for that reason, he becomes an obvious pick here. He scored 17 tries at the 2022 World Cup, including two in the final, and he should be influential again.

Top try-scorer

Mens: Jamayne Isaako

Both New Zealand and Australia play Fiji and the Cook Islands, games that the powerhouse nations should expect to win and win big, and for that reason Isaako could be the man to profit. World Cup top try-scorers often emerge after a ridiculous haul in one game with Valentine Holmes in 2017 being a prime example after he scored five against Samoa and then six against Fiji. Isaako, who has nine in 14 for New Zealand, could have a similar game in the group stage and sew the prize up early.

Womens: Julia Robinson

Robinson’s international record speaks for itself. She has an incredible 22 tries in 13 games and such scoring can continue on the left wing of this potent Australian attack. A Golden Boot winner as international player of the year last year, Robinson looks a good bet here.

Wheelchair: Jack Brown

As mentioned above when making the case for him to be the player of the tournament, Brown is simply one of the very best and his pace is electric – something that lends him to scoring plenty and expect no different at this Rugby League World Cup.

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