2026 Rugby League World Cup Round 1 Team Lists: Every squad and selection

The official team lists have been revealed for Round 1 of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup group stage. The opening round features several high-profile international matchups, beginning with Australia facing New Zealand at Accor Stadium on October 15, 2026. Key selections for Australia include Reece Walsh at fullback and Mitchell Moses at halfback, while New Zealand named Kalyn Ponga and Jahrome Hughes in their starting spine.

Other opening-round fixtures include Samoa taking on France at CommBank Stadium, Papua New Guinea hosting Lebanon, England meeting Tonga at HBF Park, and Fiji playing the Cook Islands at McDonald Jones Stadium. The squads feature star inclusions such as Jarome Luai for Samoa, AJ Brimson for England, Jason Taumalolo for Tonga, and Apisai Koroisau for Fiji.