Cook Islands Secure Rugby League World Cup Spot
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.
The victory joins the Cook Islands with nine other teams competing in the upcoming World Cup: Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales.
Having surged ahead strongly in the second half, the Cook Islands became the 14th nation to secure their place in RLWC26.
Player Reactions
"Going to the World Cup, it's massive for us," said KL Iro, a Cronulla Sharks player 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."
"I'm excited, exciting times," added teammate Brendan Piakura, reflecting on their time together in Rarotonga after the Pacific Bowl campaign ended.
Team Experiences
Piakura highlighted that their bonding period following the Pacific Championships contributed significantly to their strong performance.
Qualified Teams for RLWC26
- Australia
- England
- Fiji
- France
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Wales
- Cook Islands
Photo credit: NRL/CIRL
Summary: The Cook Islands secured their place in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup with a commanding win over South Africa, marking an important milestone as the 14th qualified nation.