Cook Islands Secure Spot at IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026
Cook Islands secured their place in the IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 by defeating South Africa 58-6 in the qualifying match held on Sunday at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.
Qualification and Group of Competitors
The Cook Islands men's rugby league team, known as the Aitu, join nine other nations — Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales — as the ten teams competing in the World Cup at the end of the next season. They became the 14th nation to qualify for RLWC26, earning their spot after a strong second-half performance.
Player Reactions
"Going to the World Cup, it's massive for us," said KL Iro, who plays for the Cronulla Sharks 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."
Teammate Brendan Piakura added, "I'm excited, exciting times," attributing their success to the time spent together in Rarotonga after their Pacific Bowl campaign ended two weekends ago.
Photo Credit
Photo: NRL/CIRL
Author's summary: Cook Islands triumphed over South Africa to qualify for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, marking a historic achievement fueled by strong teamwork and determined performances.