The Cook Islands men’s team, Te Aitu, are at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. The tournament runs from 15 October to 15 November 2026, with games in Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Aitu are in Group A with Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, and the top two teams from the group go through to the semi-finals.
Cook Islands World Cup 2026 fixtures
All times below are Cook Islands time (CKT, Rarotonga). Because Rarotonga is a day behind Australia and New Zealand, each game falls on the evening before the local match day.
Round 1: Fiji v Cook Islands
Saturday 17 October, 7:05pm in Rarotonga (Sunday 18 October, 4:05pm in Newcastle). McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, New South Wales.
Round 2: New Zealand v Cook Islands
Saturday 24 October, 7:05pm in Rarotonga (Sunday 25 October, 6:05pm in Christchurch). One NZ Stadium, Christchurch.
Round 3: Australia v Cook Islands
Friday 30 October, 11:05pm in Rarotonga (Saturday 31 October, 7:05pm in Townsville). Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, Queensland.
Scores and the Group A ladder update on our World Cup 2026 page after every game.
How the Cook Islands qualified
The Cook Islands took the 10th and final men’s place by beating South Africa 58-6 in a play-off at CommBank Stadium, Sydney, on 9 November 2025. It is the nation’s fourth men’s World Cup, after 2000, 2013 and 2021.
Tickets
Tickets for all World Cup games are sold through the official tournament website, rlwc2026.com, with prices starting from AUD $19.
How to follow from Rarotonga
Broadcast details for each game are published on the official tournament site closer to kick-off. Cook Islands Rugby League posts team news, watch-party details and results on Facebook and Instagram.
Who is in the squad?
Head coach Karmichael Hunt named 23 players on 6 October 2026, with KL Iro and Marata Niukore as co-captains and Valentine Holmes set to debut. See our Aitu squad guide for the full list.
