As we head into the final week of the Rugby League World Cup group stages, there are still a number of semi-final spots to play for in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

With no quarter-final stages this time around, one of the 2026 format’s key talking points, only two teams from each pool will advance to the knockouts. Both the women’s game and Pool A of the men’s tournament are easy to understand; then we get to the combined Group B+C table, which makes even the most die-hard of rugby league fans question what is going on.

Below is a run-down of what every team needs to do in the final week of matches in order to qualify for the final four. Some sides, like Australia, have already put their name in the semi-final hat, whilst others, like France and Lebanon, have already been knocked out.

What every Rugby League World Cup nation needs to do to progress to the semi-finals

Men’s Tournament – Pool A:

Australia: Already qualified.

New Zealand: Must defeat Fiji on Saturday.

Fiji: Must defeat New Zealand on Saturday.

Cook Islands: Already eliminated.

Samoa: Must avoid defeat to Tonga on Sunday OR finish with a better points difference than England, should England win (current difference: 68 in Samoa’s favour).

Tonga: Must avoid defeat to Samoa on Sunday OR need England to beat PNG OR finish on a higher points difference than PNG, should Kumuls win (current difference: 88 in Tonga’s favour).

England: Must defeat PNG on Friday AND need Tonga to beat Samoa on Sunday. England’s winning margin plus Samoa’s losing margin must be greater than 68 for England to progress.

Papua New Guinea: Must defeat England on Friday AND need Samoa to beat Tonga. PNG’s winning margin and Tonga’s losing margin must be greater than 88 for PNG to progress.

Lebanon: Already eliminated.

France: Already eliminated.

Women’s Tournament – Pool A: 

Australia: Already qualified.

Samoa: Must defeat England on Friday.

England: Must defeat Samoa on Friday.

Wales: Already eliminated.

New Zealand: Must defeat PNG on Saturday OR need Fiji to defeat France by less than 68 points.

Fiji: Must defeat France on Saturday OR need New Zealand to defeat PNG OR need to better PNG’s points difference should both teams lose (current difference: 12 in Fiji’s favour).

PNG: Must defeat New Zealand on Saturday AND either: France defeats Fiji, or they need to better Fiji’s points difference should both teams win (current difference: 12 in Fiji’s favour).

France: Must defeat Fiji by 89 or more AND need New Zealand to defeat PNG.

How we stand after round 2 of #RLWC26 🏆

Who’s going to rise and fall after the final week of IRL World Cup pool stage action?! 😤 https://t.co/iF2jWDyOS5

— Rugby League World Cup 2026 (@rugbyleaguewcup) October 25, 2026

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