Both Rugby League World Cup finals will be trans-Tasman contests. The Jillaroos play the Kiwi Ferns and the Kangaroos play the Kiwis at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, on Sunday 15 November.
The women’s final kicks off at 4.10pm AEDT and the men’s final at 7.35pm AEDT, according to NRL.com. Suncorp Stadium’s own event page lists the double-header for that day.
How the Men Got There
The Kangaroos beat Samoa 44-12 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday 8 November, with Reece Walsh scoring a hat-trick, The Guardian and NRL.com reported. Australia led 26-2 at half-time, according to NRL.com, and The Guardian put the crowd at 41,529.
Tom Dearden scored first, and Jacob Preston and Tom Trbojevic followed, The Guardian reported. Bradman Best crossed before the break. Early in the second half Walsh spilled a Ronald Volkman bomb and Stephen Crichton scored for Samoa, but Walsh later finished his hat-trick from a Cameron Munster set-up. A Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow try was disallowed and Samoa’s Spencer Leniu was sin-binned. Before kick-off, Junior Paulo had led Samoa’s Siva Tau.
Australia completed at nearly 90%, The Guardian reported, after “three unconvincing performances” earlier in the tournament. The paper’s Jack Snape wrote that “the favourites are stirring”. NRL.com named Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (14 runs, 157m), Pat Carrigan (17 runs, 163m) and Preston among the standouts in Australia’s sixth Test win from six over Samoa. Fa’asuamaleaui faces a Grade 1 careless high tackle charge, for which an early plea means a warning.
New Zealand beat Tonga 34-10 in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November, scoring 22 unanswered points after Tonga had led through two Jojo Fifita tries, The Guardian reported. Dane Gagai scored three minutes before the break, and Casey McLean’s try was his 18th in eight Tests.
Kalyn Ponga returned at fullback 23 days after breaking his forearm, according to The Guardian. “I was always determined to come back,” he said. NRL.com had him running 198m with three try assists, while Jahrome Hughes kicked 397m.
Tonga’s supporters drew praise from their halfback, Isaiya Katoa. “I don’t think these fans understand how much the support means to us, the way that they rally around us through thick and thin,” he said, The Guardian reported. The paper said Jason Taumalolo’s international career is likely over.
The result puts the Kiwis in their first men’s World Cup final since 2013, The Guardian reported.
How the Women Got There
The Kiwi Ferns beat Fetu Samoa 32-0 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November, with Stacey Waaka scoring a hat-trick, NRL.com and the ABC reported. It is their seventh straight World Cup final.
Mackenzie Wiki scored after two minutes and captain Raecene McGregor scored late, according to the ABC. Waaka, who has won two Olympic sevens gold medals and two rugby union World Cups, spoke to the 7 Network after the match. “I can’t wait for this next week and bring on whoever is in the final with us.”
The Jillaroos beat Fiji 30-14 at Allianz Stadium on Sunday 8 November, NRL.com and the ABC reported. They trailed 8-0 before Abbi Church scored four tries, and the score was 8-8 at half-time, according to NRL.com.
Fiji five-eighth Luisa Yaranamua set up the early lead, the ABC reported. Fiji, at their first women’s World Cup, performed the hymn Noqu Masu before kick-off. Jamie Chapman left the field early with cramp.
The Jillaroos won their three pool games by a combined 242-6 and have lost once in a decade, to New Zealand, according to the ABC.
Sunday 15 November at Suncorp
Both finals carry history, according to NRL.com. The Jillaroos are chasing a fourth straight title, having beaten the Kiwi Ferns in the past three finals: 54-4 at Old Trafford in 2022, 23-16 at Suncorp in 2017 and 22-12 at Headingley in 2013. The Kiwi Ferns last won the title in 2008, in Brisbane.
The men’s final repeats the 2013, 2008 and 2000 finals. New Zealand’s only title came in 2008, with a 34-20 win at Suncorp, and Australia are chasing a fourth straight title and a 13th overall, NRL.com reported.
It is also a rematch of round 1 in Sydney, according to NRL.com. The Guardian said the Kangaroos were “lucky to escape with a win”.
The women’s final starts at 4.10pm AEDT on Sunday 15 November, and the men’s follows at 7.35pm AEDT.
Our Sports section has followed the tournament, including the Tonga and Samoa rivalry in the pool stage and the Kangaroos’ earlier Suncorp fixture against Fiji.
Sources: The Guardian, “Reece Walsh hat-trick drives Australia past Samoa and into Rugby League World Cup final”, 8 November 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/nov/08/australia-kangaroos-samoa-rugby-league-world-cup-mens-semi-final-match-report); The Guardian, “New Zealand down spirited Tonga to reach Rugby League World Cup final”, 7 November 2026 (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/nov/07/new-zealand-tonga-rugby-league-world-cup-semi-final-match-report); ABC News, “Wounded Jillaroos into Rugby League World Cup final after Fiji smackdown”, 8 November 2026 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-08/rugby-league-world-cup-jillaroos-fiji-bulikula-semi-final/107361332); ABC News, “New Zealand defeat Fetu Samoa to advance to women’s Rugby League World Cup final”, 7 November 2026 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-07/new-zealand-defeat-fetu-samoa-rugby-league-world-cup-semi/107359678); NRL.com, “The Wrap: World Cup Men’s Semi-Finals”, 9 November 2026 (https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/11/09/the-wrap-world-cup-mens-semi-finals/); NRL.com, “The Wrap: World Cup Women’s Semi-Finals”, 9 November 2026 (https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/11/09/the-wrap-world-cup-womens-semi-finals/)
Photo: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Suncorp Stadium in Milton, Brisbane, which stages both finals on Sunday 15 November, seen from a nearby building in February 2019.
