World Cup to be defining moment for Wheelchair game

NRL Wheelchair chairman Martin Meredith believes Rugby League World Cup 2026 will leave a lasting legacy for the sport in Australia by exposing it to a broader audience.

Australia will host RLWC2026 at the end of the 2026 NRL season, with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments together again as they were at the last World Cup in England in 2022.

With matches broadcast on the BBC, British fans marvelled at the skill, speed and aggression of wheelchair rugby league and the game has exploded in popularity since England’s epic World Cup final defeat of France.

The Wheelaroos reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by France and were also competitive against England in the opening match, but due to the time difference the tournament didn’t generate the same interest in Australia.

“We are thrilled that the next Rugby League World Cup will be hosted on home soil, showcasing the skill and talent of our sport and our athletes to a significant audience,” Meredith said.

“We saw the impact that RLWC2017 had on the growth of the NRLW in Australia and look forward to replicating that success as Wheelchair Rugby League once again receives equal billing alongside the men's and women's games in 2026.

“This opportunity is truly a defining moment for Wheelchair Rugby League and our sport's continued growth and development in the Southern hemisphere. The Wheelaroos will be more than ready to take on the world’s best.”

Currently ranked third in the IRL World Rankings, the Wheelaroos were the only Southern Hemisphere team to compete at the World Cup in England but it is hoped that New Zealand may enter a team in 2026.

The sport is also growing in the United States, who participated in the last World Cup and were earlier this year due to host the Wheelaroos in Las Vegas to coincide with the NRL’s season opening double-header at Allegiant Stadium.

The tour didn’t go ahead but the US hosted Wales in South Carolina in a two Test series in February and are expected to be among the nations playing at RLWC2026.

The format for deciding RLWC2026 wheelchair qualification is yet to be finalised. Australia, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales and USA were the nations to compete at the Wheelchair World Cup in England in 2022.