Everything is on the line in the final weekend of the group phase of the IRL Rugby League World Cup as 11 teams battle for semi-final berths across the men's and women's tournaments.
Australia are the only team to have booked their spot in the final four heading into the final week of the group stage of the men's competition.
In Group A, New Zealand and Fiji will play off for a spot in the semi-finals in a Cbus Super showdown on the Gold Coast.
The Red Sea rise for the Sipi Tau
The permutations for Groub B and C are more complicated with four teams fighting for a top-two finish on the combined table.
With head-to-head result the primary tiebreaker before for and against comes into the equation, everything is on the line from the first match of the weekend to the last.
It's win or go home on Friday night at WIN Stadium when England face Papua New Guinea in Wollongong.
All eyes will then turn to Sunday night's showdown between fierce Pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa at a sold-out CommBank Stadium.
The stakes are just as high in the Women's World Cup, with just one spot in the final four locked up leading into this weekend.
New Zealand and Fiji are chasing wins to secure a top-two finish in Pool B, while England and Samoa will play off for a semi-final berth at WIN Stadium on Friday night.
This is every team's path to the World Cup semi-finals.
Men's World Cup
Pool A
Australia
The Kangaroos are the only team to have already booked their spot in the semi-finals and can secure first place in their group with a victory over Cook Islands in Townsville on Saturday night. Kevin Walters' men will play their semi-final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday November 8 as part of a doubleheader with the Jillaroos.
This week: Australia v Cook Islands, Saturday October 31, 8.05pm (AEDT) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.
New Zealand
The Kiwis flexed their muscle in a 78-0 win over Fiji in a spiteful clash at Cbus Super Stadium. Kiwis winger Ronaldo Mulitalo and Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham were sent off in the second half while the Bati lost Api Koroisau to a suspected broken jaw. The Kiwis now march on to the semi-finals as they chase a first World Cup crown since 2008.
New Zealand v Cook Islands - Round 2, 2026
This week: New Zealand v Fiji, Saturday October 31, 3.30pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
Fiji
The Bati stunned New Zealand in the 2017 quarter-final but there was to be no such fairytale this time around as a 78-0 loss brought the curtain down on their World Cup campaign.
This week: New Zealand v Fiji, Saturday October 31, 3.30pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
Pools B & C
Samoa
Two dominant wins have put Samoa in pole position for a trip to the semi-finals but there is still plenty of work to do for Ben Gardiner's side. A win over Tonga will secure first place on the combined table and a date with either New Zealand or Fiji at McDonald Jones Stadium next weekend.
Papua New Guinea v Samoa - Round 2, 2026
Things start to get a little bit more complicated if Samoa lose on Sunday night. A Papua New Guinea win over England would have guaranteed Samoa's spot in the semi-finals. England's win by 22 points means Samoa would have to lose by 47 points or more to Tonga to miss the semi-finals.
This week: Tonga v Samoa, Sunday November 1, 8.05pm (AEDT) at CommBank Stadium
Tonga
Like Samoa, Tonga can guarantee a spot in the semi-finals with a win on Sunday night. Should they lose to Samoa, their week one victory over England also means Kristian Woolf's side will progress to the final four if England defeats PNG on Friday night.
This week: Tonga v Samoa, Sunday November 1 8.05pm at CommBank Stadium
England
The first half of the equation for England was relatively simple. Defeat Papua New Guinea and keep your semi-final hopes alive. They did that but the 22-point margin on a night when they committed 20 errors leave England's campaign on life support.
Dominic Young Try
England started the night needing to overturn a 68-point differential to leapfrog the Samoans on the combined table and climb into the top two. The only way they can progress now is if Tonga beat Samoa by an unlikely 47 points or more.
This week: England v Papua New Guinea, Friday October 30, 8.05pm (AEDT) at WIN Stadium
Papua New Guinea
Like England, Friday night's clash at WIN Stadium was a must-win for the Kumuls. Had they beaten the English, PNG then would have needed Samoa to defeat Tonga by a big margin to keep their semi-finals hopes alive.
The Kumuls were brave at WIN Stadium after trailing 22-0 early but the 34-12 loss means their 2026 World Cup campaign is over.
This week: England v Papua New Guinea, Friday October 30, 8.05pm (AEDT) at WIN Stadium
Women's World Cup
Pool A
Jillaroos
Australia are safely through to the semi-finals after big wins over Samoa and England to open their campaign. The Jillaroos can secure first place in Pool A with a victory over Wales at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The focus will then turn to a semi-final at Allianz Stadium on November 8, which will be played as a double-header with the Kangaroos' semi-final.
This week: Jillaroos v Wales, Sunday November 1, 3.40pm (AEDT) at CommBank Stadium
Fetu Samoa
Samoa's top-four hopes hinged on a Friday night showdown with England at WIN Stadium and a Freedom Crichton Ropati hat-trick has catapulted the Pacific nation into their first ever semi-final. Playing their first Women's World Cup since 2008, Samoa now move on to face the Kiwi Ferns in Newcastle.
Freedom Crichton Ropati 2nd Try
This week: England v Samoa, Friday October 30, 5.45pm (AEDT) at WIN Stadium
England
The tournament is over for England on the back of the 24-6 loss to Samoa. Veteran skipper Jodie Cunningham's 38th and final Test did not go the way she would have planned as England bowed out. After progressing to the semi-finals in 2017 and 2022, this result will hit England hard but they simply couldn't contain Samoa's posse of NRLW stars.
This week: England v Samoa, Friday October 30 5.45pm (AEDT) at WIN Stadium
Pool B
Kiwi Ferns
New Zealand have one foot in the semi-finals but their spot is not yet assured heading into this weekend. A win over Papua New Guinea will secure the Kiwi Ferns first place in their pool. A shock loss and a Fiji win over France will leave New Zealand relying on for and against. Given they currently sit on a +98 points differential, it's unlikely the Kiwi Ferns will drop out of the top two but they will want to keep control of their own destiny.
This week: Kiwi Ferns v Papua New Guinea, Saturday October 31, 5.45pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
A huge Haka on home-turf for the Ferns
Fiji
The Bulikula are into the final four in their first Women's World Cup after a stunning 54-6 win over France. The comprehensive victory by Fiji sets up an epic semi-final showdown with the Jillaroos in Sydney next week.
This week: Fiji v France, Saturday October 31, 1.20pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium.
Papua New Guinea
The Orchids must defy history to keep their hopes of a semi-final berth alive when they face New Zealand on Saturday afternoon. Papua New Guinea have never beaten the Kiwi Ferns in two prior matches and will need to bounce back instantly from last week's loss to Fiji. Not only do the Orchids need to win but the points differential means they would have to beat the Ferns by 60 points.
This week: Kiwi Ferns v Papua New Guinea, Saturday October 31, 5.45pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
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