Rugby League World Cup final confirmed: Australia v New Zealand fixture, date, kick-off time and how to watch
The Rugby League World Cup trophy in 2026
Australia will take on New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final, following a breathtaking round of semi-final action.
The Kangaroos head to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in search of their fourth successive World Cup title, following wins in 2013, 2017 and 2022, while the Kiwis return to the final for the first time since 2013. This will also be the fifth time the two sides have met in a World Cup final, with New Zealand winning one and Australia winning the other three.
The two sides also met in the opening game of the World Cup, with Kevin Walters’ side coming away 24-22 winners last month.
Australia v New Zealand World Cup final confirmed
Australia come into the final unbeaten across the World Cup campaign thus far, with four wins under their belt.
They began with a stellar victory over the Kiwis in that aforementioned opener, with Reece Walsh’s 68th-minute score the difference at the end. Round two saw them pushed all the way by a spirited Fiji outfit, but they eventually powered home to a 36-22 victory come full-time. While their semi-final place was already confirmed, Australia ended the pool stage with a fantastic 66-6 win over the Cook Islands.
That pool stage campaign then took them to a semi-final date with Samoa, in a rematch of the last World Cup final from 2022, but Walters’s side again came away the victors to book them a spot at the Suncorp showdown.
New Zealand had to do it the tough way after that defeat to their upcoming opponents, but they were just as impressive in rounds two and three. The Kiwis racked up an aggregate score of 160-16 across their next two Tests against the Cook Islands and Fiji in the following pool stage fixtures, and ensured their place in the semi-final.
That then saw them face an in-form Tonga side in the final four. Stacey Jones’ side didn’t have it all their own way in that meeting, but eventually ran away with a 34-10 win to send them to the final.
2026 Rugby League World Cup
Australia v New Zealand
Date: Sunday, 15th November
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 18:35 local, 08:35 GMT
Live on: Premier Sports
