Arabic version: أستراليا ونيوزيلندا تفتتحان كأس العالم لدوري الرغبي

According to The Guardian, Australia and New Zealand are opening the 2026 men’s Rugby League World Cup at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, with kick-off scheduled for 8.05pm AEDT on Thursday 15 October.

Australia, the defending champions, will wear green with gold accents, while New Zealand will be in black with flashes of white. Drizzle, a temperature of about 15C and a southeasterly breeze were reported in Sydney. Adam Gee, who officiated the recent NRL grand final, is the referee.

Isaah Yeo captains Australia, whose starting side includes Reece Walsh at fullback, Cameron Munster, Mitchell Moses, Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic. James Tedesco was not selected in the No 1 jersey, while Nathan Cleary’s injury led to Moses partnering Munster in the halves.

New Zealand are led by James Fisher-Harris and start Kalyn Ponga at fullback, with Jahrome Hughes and Kodi Nikorima in the halves. Their forward unit includes Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Joseph Tapine, while Naufahu Whyte and Erin Clark are among the interchange players.

The 10-team tournament uses NRL rules and has three pools. Australia and New Zealand are in Pool A with Fiji and Cook Islands, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. The final is scheduled for Brisbane on 15 November. Allianz Stadium is sold out for the opening match.