2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup qualification
The 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup qualification was announced on December. It will feature four confederation qualification tournaments for each of the four International Rugby League confederations (Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East-Africa). The two group winners of Europe will directly qualify, while the playoff winner of the two runners up will face the winners of other three tournaments in the 2025 World Series for the final two spots in the 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup.[1][2]
Qualification is open to all full and affiliate member nations who did not qualify via the 2021 World Cup.
Qualified teams
Team | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Total times qualified | Last time qualified | Current consecutive appearances | Previous best performance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2021 Group A winners | 5 November 2022 | 4[a] | 2021 | 4 | Semi-finals (2008, 2013, 2017, 2021) |
![]() | 2021 Group A runners-up | 5 November 2022 | 2 | 2021 | 2 | Semi-finals (2021) |
![]() | 2021 Group B winners | 6 November 2022 | 6 | 2021 | 6 | Winners (2013, 2017, 2021) |
![]() | 2021 Group B runners-up | 6 November 2022 | 6 | 2021 | 6 | Winners (2000, 2003, 2008) |
![]() | Europe Group A winner | 22 June 2024 | 1 | — | 1 | First appearance |
![]() | Europe Group B winner | 22 June 2024 | 5 | 2021 | 2 | Semi-finals (2013) |
TBC | Asia-Pacific winner | 3 November 2024 | ||||
TBC | World Series winners | 2025 |
Confederation tournaments
Asia-Pacific
The 2024 Women's Pacific Bowl will act as qualification for the World Cup. First place qualifies for the World Cup, second place qualifies for the 2025 World Series.
Seeding and group draws
The draw and schedule was announced 30 August 2024.[3][4]
Team | Ranking |
---|---|
![]() | 6th |
![]() | 14th |
![]() | 24th |
![]() | 26th |
Fixtures
Americas
Americas qualification was to have been a four way competition between Brazil, Canada, Jamaica and the USA, with a semi-finals then final format based on IRL rankings , with the winner progressing to the 2025 World Series.[5]
In June 2024, Brazil withdrew from the tournament due to funding and logistical difficulties.[6]
Seeding and group draws
The original draw and schedule was announced 30 January 2024 and would have seen Canada play Jamaica and USA play Brazil in the semi-finals.[5]
Team | Ranking |
---|---|
![]() | 7th |
![]() | 11th |
![]() | 16th |
![]() | 22nd |
The revised schedule will see Jamaica play USA, with the winners playing Canada for the place in the 2026 tournament.[6] Canada will play a friendly against the USA Pioneers in lieu of their semi-final match.[6]
Semi-final
Final
Europe
Seven teams are entered into the competition. The two lowest ranked teams, Italy and the Netherlands, will play each other in a preliminary play-off match. The resulting six teams are split into two groups of three. The two group winning countries qualify for the World Cup, while the runners up in each group will 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.[7][8] 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 A | Group B | ||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Rank | Team | Rank |
![]() | 8th | ![]() | 5th |
![]() | 9th | ![]() | 10th |
![]() ![]() | 16th/ 18th | ![]() | 12th |
Preliminary playoff
27 April 2024 15:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) |
Italy ![]() | 6–56 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Severgnini Goals: Antonia (1/1) | 1st: 6–20 2nd: 0–36 Report | Tries: Gevers (3), Geerlings, Van Beukering, Berding, N. Kennedy (3), Blom, Van Diepen Goals: Berding (4/8), Schouw (0/1),Geerlings (1/1), Van der Zwan (1/1) |
Italy | Position | Netherlands | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Alessandra Menotti | 1 | FB | 1 | Nicole Kennedy |
Rwan Hassnien | 2 | WG | 2 | Hiermons Monischa |
Loide Agosta | 3 | CE | 3 | Lisa Berding |
Camilla Giacomazzo | 4 | CE | 4 | Paige Schouw |
Lillian Bremang | 5 | WG | 5 | Hannah Van Beukering |
Martina Dall' Antonia | 6 | SO | 6 | Hiske Blom |
Valentina Virgili | 7 | SH | 7 | Rixt Aerts |
Giulia Iozzi | 8 | PR | 8 | Sele Steenkist |
Camilla Vio | 9 | HK | 9 | Ver Van Der Zwan |
Vanessa Bertini | 10 | PF | 10 | Lorraine Voorbach |
Silvis Gai | 11 | SR | 11 | Linneke Gevers |
Altea Forto | 12 | SR | 12 | Sylvie Moelee |
Marvin Severgnini | 13 | LF | 13 | Kaylee Geerlings |
Alissa Meinero | 14 | IN | 14 | Claire Kennedy |
Alice Botiaro | 15 | IN | 15 | Dominique Velema |
Ilenia Bollini | 16 | IN | 16 | Dana Burik |
Fabiola Tosetii | 17 | IN | 17 | Stephanie Van Diepen |
Alberto Suin | Coach | Matt Rigby |
Group stage
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 16 | +60 | 4 | Qualify for 2026 World Cup |
2 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 40 | −14 | 2 | Advance to World Series play-off |
3 | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 64 | −46 | 0 |
27 April 2024 14:45 BST (UTC+01:00) |
Wales ![]() | 28–10 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Dainton (2), Taylor, Salter, Parker Goals: Salter (4/5) | 1st: 18–4 2nd: 10–6 Report | Tries: Tutty, Molloy Goals: Cobain (1/3) |
Wales | Position | Ireland | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Brittony Price | 1 | FB | 1 | Cliodhna O'Sullivan |
Georgia Taylor | 2 | WG | 2 | Bettie Lambert |
Ashlea Prescott | 3 | CE | 3 | Molly Young |
Kathryn Salter | 4 | CE | 4 | Francessca Copley |
Lucia Davies | 5 | WG | 5 | Grace Tutty |
Shaunni Davies | 6 | SO | 6 | Holly O'Dwyer |
Rhi Parker | 7 | SH | 7 | Alex McGuinness |
Amy Price | 8 | PR | 8 | Mairead Quinn |
Jasmine Gibbons | 9 | HK | 9 | Niamh Griffin |
Sara Jones | 10 | PF | 10 | Rachel Morton |
Hannah Jones | 11 | SR | 11 | Storm Cobain |
Charlie Mundy | 12 | SR | 12 | Tricia Doyle |
Bethan Dainton | 13 | LF | 13 | Clodagh Dunne |
Agnes Wood | 14 | IN | 14 | Megan Preston |
Katie Carr | 15 | IN | 15 | Caoimhe Molloy |
Ffion Jenkins | 16 | IN | 16 | lydia Egan |
Kim Boaler | 17 | IN | 17 | Lisa Callen |
Tom Brindle | Coach | Matt Kennerson |
19 May 2024 15:00 IST (UTC+01:00) |
Ireland ![]() | 16–12 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Preston, Cobain (2) Goals: Cobain (2/3) | Report | Tries: Van Der Zwan, N. Kennedy, J. Kennedy |
Ireland | Position | Netherlands | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Cliodhna O'Sullivan | 1 | FB | 1 | Nicole Kennedy |
Alice Fitzegerald | 2 | WG | 2 | Monischa Hiermons |
Francessca Copley | 3 | CE | 3 | Claire Kennedy |
Mollie Young | 4 | CE | 4 | Linneke Gevers |
Bettie Lambert | 5 | WG | 5 | Hannah Van Beukering |
Storm Cobain | 6 | SO | 6 | Hiske Blom |
Alex McGuinness | 7 | SH | 7 | Rixt Aerts |
Mairead Quinn | 8 | PR | 8 | Sela Steenkist |
Megan Preston | 9 | HK | 9 | Vera Van Der Zwan |
Clodagh Dunne | 10 | PF | 10 | Lorraine Voorbach |
Lisa Callan | 11 | SR | 11 | Jessica Kennedy |
Tricia Doyle | 12 | SR | 12 | Sylvie Moelee |
Caoimhe Molloy | 13 | LF | 13 | Lisa Berding |
Niamh Griffin | 14 | IN | 14 | Paige Schouw |
Rachel Morton | 15 | IN | 15 | Iris Hansman |
Aine Rutley | 16 | IN | 16 | Dominique Velema |
Stacy Hanley | 17 | IN | 17 | Stephanie Van Diepen |
CS | 18 | Arijanna Van Der Kieft | ||
Matt Jefferson | Coach | Matt Rigby |
22 June 2024 16:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) |
Netherlands ![]() | 6–48 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Moelee Goals: Geerlings (1/1) | Report | Tries: Burnell (2), Price, Gough-Walters (3), Salter, Wood, H Jones, Dainton Goals: Salter (2/7), Burnell (2/3) |
Netherlands | Position | Wales | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Nicole Kennedy | 1 | FB | 1 | Leanne Burnell |
Monischa Hiermons | 2 | WG | 2 | Megan Whittaker |
Lisa Berding | 3 | CE | 3 | Kathryn Salter |
Linneke Gevers | 4 | CE | 4 | Seren Gough-Walters |
Hannah Van Beukering | 5 | WG | 5 | Britonny Price |
Rixt Aerts | 6 | SO | 6 | Rhi Parker |
Hiske Blom | 7 | SH | 7 | Shaunni Davies |
Sela Steenkist | 8 | PR | 8 | Amy Price |
Ver Van Der Zwan | 9 | HK | 9 | Jasmine Gibbons |
Lorraine Voorbach | 10 | PF | 10 | Sara Jones |
Carola Terlouw | 11 | SR | 11 | Hannah Jones |
Sylvie Moelee | 12 | SR | 12 | Georgia Taylor |
Kaylee Geerlings | 13 | LF | 13 | Bethan Dainton |
Dominique Velema | 14 | IN | 14 | Agnes Wood |
Claire Kennedy | 15 | IN | 15 | Katie Carr |
Kim Dekker | 16 | IN | 16 | Gracie Hobbs |
Iris Hansman | 17 | IN | 17 | Ffion Jones |
Matt Rigby | Coach | Tom Brindle |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 116 | 0 | +116 | 4 | Qualify for 2026 World Cup |
2 | ![]() | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 62 | −30 | 2 | Advance to World Series play-off |
3 | ![]() | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 90 | −86 | 0 |
13 April 2024 16:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) |
France ![]() | 58–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Song-Puche, Canal (4), Legout, Vilanove (3), Ramos, Himoudi (2) Goals: Pommier (5/12) | 1st: 28–0 2nd: 30–0 Report |
France | Position | Greece | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Manon Samarra | 1 | FB | 1 | Magdelini Stavrianou |
Margot Canal | 2 | WG | 2 | Velissaria Koutsioumpa |
Cristina Song-Puche | 3 | CE | 3 | Dimitra Papoutsi |
Amael Vilanove | 4 | CE | 4 | Christina Macris |
Chahrazad Himoudi | 5 | WG | 5 | Sofia Anagnostopoulou |
Justine Roses | 6 | SO | 6 | Cleopatra Velmachou |
Mahault Pommier | 7 | SH | 7 | Asimina Mastoraki |
Salomé Ségala | 8 | PR | 8 | Marianna Chali, |
Fanny Ramos | 9 | HK | 9 | Chrysi Lymperidi |
Leila Bessahli | 10 | PF | 10 | Anna Limperi |
Ines Legout | 11 | SR | 11 | Maria-Eleni Gkirlemi |
Stecy Bessiere | 12 | SR | 12 | Myrsini Pappa |
Dorine Samarra | 13 | LF | 13 | Ourania Koutsikou |
Helene Leclerc | 14 | IN | 14 | Georgia-Fotini Koutsimpogeorgou |
Pauline Noe | 15 | IN | 15 | Ekaterini Varypati |
Nabila Zaghdoudi | 16 | IN | 16 | Maria-Anna Lamprou |
Tallis Kuresa | 17 | IN | 17 | Sofia-Margarita Kitsaneli |
Romain Maillot | Coach | Jim Minadakis |
18 May 2024 17:00 EEST (UTC+03:00) |
Greece ![]() | 32–4 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: Papoutsi (2), Lamprou (2), Koutsikou, Koutsimpogeorgou, Koutsioumpa Goals: Pappa (2/4) | Report | Tries: Simic |
Greece | Position | Serbia | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Kleopatra Velmachou | 1 | FB | 1 | Tamara Bošnjak |
Velissaria Koutsioumpa | 2 | WG | 2 | Katarina Veljanovski |
Dimitra Papoutsi | 3 | CE | 3 | Teodora Micic |
Christina Macris | 4 | CE | 4 | Anastasija Karanovic |
Magdelini Stavrianou | 5 | WG | 5 | Jelena Stoiljković |
Asimina Mastoraki | 6 | SO | 6 | Natasa Kovacevic |
Sofia-Margarita Kitsaneli | 7 | SH | 7 | Lea Milosevic |
Maria-Anna Lamprou | 8 | PR | 8 | Marija Maslakovic |
Chrysi Lymperidi | 9 | HK | 9 | Karolina Blizanac |
Marie Eleni Gkirlemi | 10 | PF | 10 | Anna Liuter |
Myrsini Pappa | 11 | SR | 11 | Sanja Starcevic |
Anna Limperi | 12 | SR | 12 | Natalija Simic |
Ourania Koutsikou | 13 | LF | 13 | Cleopatra Carreno |
Sofia Anagnostopoulou | 14 | IN | 14 | Jovana Fridl |
Marianna Chali | 15 | IN | 15 | Uma Cengaj |
Georgia-Fotini Koutsimpogeorgou | 16 | IN | 16 | Nika Bajic |
Sotiria Skouroliakou | 17 | IN | 17 | Dunja Stojiljkovic |
Jim Minadakis | Coach | Slobodan Manak |
22 June 2024 17:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) |
Serbia ![]() | 0–58 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report | Tries: Monsarrat, Song-Puche (3), Kessely (2), Ramazeilles (2), Samarra, Roses Goals: Diraison (9/10) |
Serbia | Position | France | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Number | Number | Name | |
Tamara Bosnjak | 1 | FB | 1 | Manon Samarra |
Teodora Micic | 2 | WG | 2 | Chahrazad Himoudi |
Sanja Starcevic | 3 | CE | 3 | Cristina Song-Puche |
Marija Stojsic | 4 | CE | 4 | Amael Vilanove |
Anastasija Karanovic | 5 | WG | 5 | Perle Ramazeilles |
Ljiljana Bajic | 6 | SO | 6 | Justine Roses |
Katarina Veljanovski | 7 | SH | 7 | Lisa Diraison |
Natalija Simic | 8 | PR | 8 | Haoua Kessely |
Natasa Kovacevic | 9 | HK | 9 | Mahault Pommier |
Teodora Marin | 10 | PF | 10 | Perrine Monsarrat |
Mihaela Markicevic | 11 | SR | 11 | Ines Legout |
Anna Liuter | 12 | SR | 12 | Dorine Samarra |
Marija Maslakovic | 13 | LF | 13 | Leila Bessahli |
Marija Simovic | 14 | IN | 14 | Noemie Samuel |
Milica Cvijetanovic | 15 | IN | 15 | Salome Segala |
Nika Bajic | 16 | IN | 16 | Pauline Noe |
Uma Cengaj | 17 | IN | 17 | Tallis Kuresa |
Slobodan Manak | Coach | Romain Maillot |
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 will host the World Series playoff.[9]
Middle East-Africa
Kenya will host Nigeria in a two match test series for a spot in the 2025 World Series.[10]
World Series
The 2025 World Series will be played by:
- Americas winner
- Asia-Pacific runner-up
Ireland or
Greece (European group runners-up playoff winner)
- Middle East-Africa winners
The winner will qualify for the World Cup.
Notes
- ^ Plus two as Great Britain
References
- ^ "Rugby League World Cup 2026 women's qualifying process announced". Rugby League International Federation.
- ^ "2026 Rugby League World Cup: Women's qualification process announced, with four nations' places already secured". LoveRugbyLeague. December 15, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Pacific Championships Draw Announced". NRL. NRL Media Release. 30 Aug 2024. Retrieved 30 Aug 2024.
- ^ Walter, Brad (30 Aug 2024). "Penitani primed for World Cup qualifiers with Tonga". NRL. Retrieved 30 Aug 2024.
- ^ a b "Americas women's WC qualifiers announced". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Americas RLWCQ draw revised after removal of Brazil". Rugby League International Federation. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Celtic nations to face each otherin WC qualifying draw". European Rugby League. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Fixtures confirmed for women's WC European qualifiers". European Rugby League. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Women's European RLWC qualifying play off confirmed". European Rugby League. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Details announced for MEA Women's World Cup qualifiers". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.