Cook Islands Qualify for 2026 IRL Rugby League World Cup
The Cook Islands secured their place in the IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 by defeating South Africa 58-6 in the qualifying match held at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.
Teams Confirmed for the Men's World Cup
The Cook Islands join an elite group of nine other men's teams competing in the World Cup next season: Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales. They became the 14th nation to earn qualification for RLWC26 with a dominant second-half performance.
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."
Brendan Piakura reflected on their time together in Rarotonga after their Pacific Bowl campaign ended, saying, "I'm excited, exciting times."
Summary
The Cook Islands' convincing win against South Africa guarantees their spot among the 14 teams in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, marking a significant achievement and exciting future for their squad.
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