# 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.
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 |
| England | 2021 Group A winners | 5 November 2022 | 4 | 2021 | 4 | Semi-finals (2008, 2013, 2017, 2021) |
| Papua New Guinea | 2021 Group A runners-up | 5 November 2022 | 2 | 2021 | 2 | Semi-finals (2021) |
| Australia | 2021 Group B winners | 6 November 2022 | 6 | 2021 | 6 | Winners (2013, 2017, 2021) |
| New Zealand | 2021 Group B runners-up | 6 November 2022 | 6 | 2021 | 6 | Winners (2000, 2003, 2008) |
| Wales | Europe Group A winner | 22 June 2024 | 1 | — | 1 | First appearance |
| France | Europe Group B winner | 22 June 2024 | 5 | 2021 | 2 | Semi-finals (2013) |
| Samoa | Asia-Pacific winner | 2 November 2024 | 3 | 2008 | 1 | Fifth-place (2003, 2008) |
| TBC | World Series winners | 2025 | | | | |

## Confederation tournaments
### Americas

Americas qualification was intended 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.
In June 2024, Brazil withdrew from the tournament due to funding and logistical difficulties.

#### 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.
| Team | Ranking |
| Canada | 7th |
| Brazil | 11th |
| United States | 16th |
| Jamaica | 22nd |
The revised schedule saw Jamaica play USA, with the winners playing Canada for the place in the World Series. Canada played a friendly against the USA Pioneers in lieu of their semi-final match, with Jamaica also facing the Pioneers as a result of losing their semi-final as a curtain-raiser before the final. Canada beat the Pioneers 80–0 and Jamaica beat the Pioneers 48–12.

#### Semi-final

* 6 November 2024 19:00 ET (UTC-05:00)
| Jamaica | 0–44 | United States |
| | Report | Tries: Fisch (2), A’au, Bailous (3), Black, Treco Goals: Treco (6/8) |
* University of North Florida, Jacksonville, United States Referee: Michael Smaill (New Zealand)

#### Final

* 9 November 2024 16:00 ET (UTC-05:00)
| Canada | 40–8 | United States |
| Tries: Crowl (3), Sears, Choboter, Pakulis (2) Goals: Franada (1/2), Sears (3/3), Aberg (2/2) | Report | Tries: Sheldon (2) Goals: Treco (0/2) |
* University of North Florida, Jacksonville, United States Referee: Michael Smaill (New Zealand)

### 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.
| Team | Ranking |
| Cook Islands | 6th |
| Tonga | 14th |
| Samoa | 24th |
| Fiji | 26th |

#### Semi-finals

* 19 October 2024 18:00 FJT (UTC+12:00)
| Tonga | 16–30 | Samoa |
| Tries: 3 Hanisi 21' Takapautolo 34' Tauhalaliku 41' Goals: 2 Paki 2/3 23', 42' | 1st: 10–20 2nd: 6–10 Report | Tries: 5 Masaga 1', 31' Lofipo 9' Patea 28', 54' Tui 65' Goals: 3 Piliae-Rasabale 3/6 7 pen', 11', 56' |
* National Stadium, Suva Attendance: 3,271 Referee: Todd Smith (Australia) Senior Review Official: Chris Butler (Australia) Touch judges: Chris Sutton (Australia)
* 26 October 2024 18:00 FJT (UTC+12:00)
| Fiji | 18–6 | Cook Islands |
| Tries: 4 Naikore 21', 39', 60' Holmes 17' Goals: 1 Naikore 18' Naitokatoka 0/1 Lutu 0/1 | 1st: 10–6 2nd: 8–0 Report | Tries: 1 Matua 9' Goals: 1 Poko 1/1 10' |
* National Stadium, Suva Attendance: 3,216 Referee: Peter Gough (Australia) Senior Review Official: Wyatt Raymond (Australia) Touch judges: Drew Oultram (Australia)

#### Final

* 2 November 2024 17:35 NZDT (UTC+13:00)
| Samoa | 16–12 | Fiji |
| Tries: 3 Patea 18' Nu'uausala 56', 67' Goals: 2 Piliae-Rasabale 2/3 57', 69' | 1st: 4–12 2nd: 12–0 | Tries: 2 Laing 30' Sekitoga 35' Goals: 2 Naikore 2/2 32', 35' |
* Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: TBA Referee: Belinda Sharpe (Australia) Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy (Australia) Touch judges: Drew Oultram (Australia)

### 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. 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 A | Group B | Group B |
| Team | Rank | Team | Rank |
| Wales | 8th | France | 5th |
| Ireland | 9th | Greece | 10th |
| Italy/ Netherlands | 16th/ 18th | Serbia | 12th |

#### Preliminary playoff

* 27 April 2024 15:00 CEST (UTC+02:00)
| Italy | 6–56 | Netherlands |
| 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) |
* Maurizio Quaggia Stadium, Mogliano Veneto Referee: Nenad Zujic (Serbia)

#### Group stage

Group A :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Wales | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 16 | +60 | 4 | Qualify for 2026 World Cup |
| 2 | Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 40 | −14 | 2 | Advance to World Series play-off |
| 3 | Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 64 | −46 | 0 | |
* 27 April 2024 14:45 BST (UTC+01:00)
| Wales | 28–10 | Ireland |
| Tries: Dainton (2), Taylor, Salter, Parker Goals: Salter (4/5) | 1st: 18–4 2nd: 10–6 Report | Tries: Tutty, Molloy Goals: Cobain (1/3) |
* Cardiff University Sports Fields, Cardiff Attendance: 300 Referee: Sam Jenkinson (England)
* 19 May 2024 15:00 IST (UTC+01:00)
| Ireland | 16–12 | Netherlands |
| Tries: Preston, Cobain (2) Goals: Cobain (2/3) | Report | Tries: Van Der Zwan, N. Kennedy, J. Kennedy |
* Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin Referee: Fabien Nicaud (France)
* 22 June 2024 16:00 CEST (UTC+02:00)
| Netherlands | 6–48 | Wales |
| 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) |
* RC Waterland, Purmerend, Netherlands Referee: Geoffrey Poumes (France)
Group B :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 116 | 0 | +116 | 4 | Qualify for 2026 World Cup |
| 2 | Greece | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 62 | −30 | 2 | Advance to World Series play-off |
| 3 | Serbia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 90 | −86 | 0 | |
* 13 April 2024 16:00 CEST (UTC+02:00)
| France | 58–0 | Greece |
| Tries: Song-Puche, Canal (4), Legout, Vilanove (3), Ramos, Himoudi (2) Goals: Pommier (5/12) | 1st: 28–0 2nd: 30–0 Report | |
* Stade Georges Dartiailh, Marmande Attendance: 1,112 Referee: James Spencer (Ireland)
* 18 May 2024 17:00 EEST (UTC+03:00)
| Greece | 32–4 | Serbia |
| Tries: Papoutsi (2), Lamprou (2), Koutsikou, Koutsimpogeorgou, Koutsioumpa Goals: Pappa (2/4) | Report | Tries: Simic |
* Agios Dimitrios Stadium, Athens Referee: James Jones (Wales)
* 22 June 2024 17:00 CEST (UTC+02:00)
| Serbia | 0–58 | France |
| | Report | Tries: Monsarrat, Song-Puche (3), Kessely (2), Ramazeilles (2), Samarra, Roses Goals: Diraison (9/10) |
* Stadium FC Srem Jakovo, Belgrade Referee: Jarda Bzoch (Czech Republic)

#### 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 hosted the World Series playoff.
* 12 October 2024 15:00 EEST (UTC+03:00)
| Greece | 6–42 | Ireland |
| Tries: Lamprou Goals: Pappa (1/1) | Report | Tries: Doyle, Fitzegerald, Molloy, O'Dwyer, Lambert (2), McGuinness, Tutty Goals: Cobain (5/8) |
* Gkorytsa Stadium, Athens Referee: T. Jones (England)

### Middle East-Africa

Kenya hosted Nigeria in a two match test series where the winner qualified for the 2025 World Series.
The series saw each team win one match and the aggregate score was 22-all. Under the tournament rules the team with the highest aggregate scores would advance but with the aggregate scores tied, the result had to move to the next deciding criteria. The next deciding criteria was tries scored. Again this was tied with each having scored four. The next deciding criteria was number of goals kicked, which saw Nigeria advance to the World Series with a three to two goal advantage.
* 19 September 2024 16:00 EAT (UTC+03:00)
| Kenya | 14–22 | Nigeria |
| Tries: Amazimbi, Negesia (2) Goals: Ochieng (1/3) | report | Tries: Aladegelu, Ukwuoma, Iliya (2) Goals: Aladegelu (3/4) |
* National Youth Centre Organisation, Nairobi Referee: Stephane Vincent (France)
* 22 September 2024 16:00 EAT (UTC+03:00)
| Kenya | 8–0 | Nigeria |
| Tries: Negesia Goals: Omosso (1/4) Drop goals: Omosso (2) | report | |
* Impala Club Rugby Ground, Nairobi Referee: Stephane Vincent (France)

## World Series

The 2025 World Series will be the inter-confederation qualification tournament for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. The winner will qualify for the World Cup.
In September 2024, South Africa (who will participate in the men's tournament) submitted a proposal to host the World Series, in attempt to strengthen their bids to host the 2028 Women's World Cup and 2030 Men's World Cup. The 2025 World Series will be played by:
* Canada (Americas winner)
* Fiji (Asia-Pacific runner-up)
* Ireland (European group runners-up playoff winner)
* Nigeria (Middle East-Africa winners)
The winner will qualify for the World Cup.