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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