New Warrington Wolves recruit Mitch Prest has landed the first disciplinary charge of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup following his Fiji debut, and could now be banned for one game.

Born in New South Wales, Prest earned a call-up into the Fiji squad on the back of a terrific season at club level which saw him named the Queensland Cup Prop of the Year having shone for Mackay Cutters.

He made his international bow on Sunday as Fiji swept aside the Cook Islands, winning their opening game of the World Cup 40-12 in Newcastle.

But on the back of that game, the Rugby League World Cup Match Review Committee (MRC) have handed him the very first disciplinary charge of the tournament – and if he challenges it unsuccessfully, he would be banned for one match.

New Warrington recruit Mitch Prest at risk of World Cup ban as disciplinary charge received

Front-rower Prest, 23, has been charged with a ‘High Tackle – Careless’, with this his first offence only warranting a level one charge grade – the lowest possible.

The offence was committed in the eighth minute of Sunday’s game, with the high tackle made on Cameron Brown.

As per the way the disciplinary system will work throughout the World Cup, anyone receiving a charge is given the opportunity to accept it by pleading guilty or challenge it.

If Prest accepts this charge, he will only receive a warning. If Fiji and he see fit to challenge it, a successful appeal would see the charge wiped from his record.

An unsuccessful charge in this instance though would bring a one-game suspension, meaning he would then become unavailable for this weekend’s clash against reigning world champions Australia in Brisbane.

Notably, the MRC had confirmed already that no disciplinary charges were dished out from the first seven games across the men’s and women’s tournaments, all those that took place between Thursday and Saturday.

They have now completed their reviews of the opening weekend in full, with no charges handed out from the tight contest between Fiji and New Zealand’s women’s sides on Sunday.