Cook Islands Secure Spot for IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026
The Cook Islands have qualified for the IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 by defeating South Africa 58-6 in the RLWC26 qualifying match held on Sunday at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
Qualification and Competing Teams
With this victory, the Cook Islands join Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales as one of the 10 men's teams confirmed to compete in the World Cup next season. They become the 14th nation to qualify for RLWC26 after a strong second-half performance in the game.
Player Reactions
"Going to the World Cup, it's massive for us," said KL Iro, a player for the Cronulla Sharks in the National Rugby League. "We spoke about it over the last four weeks. Really stoked to get this, this reward. I thought we were punishing ourselves, like the last couple games in Fiji and Papua New Guinea."
Teammate Brendan Piakura reflected on their time together in Rarotonga: "I'm excited, exciting times."
Team Preparation
The team’s time spent together after their Pacific Bowl campaign ended two weekends prior contributed greatly to their success in qualifying.
Author's summary: The Cook Islands emphatically earned their place at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, highlighting teamwork and resilience as key to their impressive qualification.
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