Squiz Shortcuts: The Rugby League World Cup 2026

The winter footy leagues might be done for the year, but the footy is far from over… The 2026 Rugby League World Cup kicks off today here in Australia, co-hosted with New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It's a tournament with a long but patchy history, a stolen trophy, and a format that's unlike any other world championship. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll take a look at how the Rugby League World Cup came to be, why this one almost didn't happen, and which teams and players to keep an eye on…

Squiz Recommends:

Reading: This article from the ABC about which countries are involved in the tournament and why.

Watching: The RLWC2026 Preview on The Bye Round Podcast where NRL Premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan shares his thoughts on the teams to beat.

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Hosted by Jonathan Liondis and Andrew Williams

Researched by Jonathan Liondis

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