Australia v Fiji Rugby League World Cup Live: Kangaroos and Bati Clash at Suncorp Stadium in 2026 Opener

The 2026 men's Rugby League World Cup kicks off tonight at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium as Australia faces Fiji in a Pool A blockbuster. The Kangaroos, ranked number one in the world, take on the seventh-ranked Bati in a match that will set the tone for a tournament featuring the sport's elite nations. With kick-off at 7.05pm local time (8.05pm AEDT), NRL veteran Gerard Sutton will referee the contest under a format that includes six interchange players with up to four used. The World Cup has expanded to ten teams split into three pools, with Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Cook Islands battling in Pool A. The top two from that group advance directly to the semi-finals, while teams in Pools B and C compete for the other two spots via a combined table. Australia and New Zealand are heavy favourites, but Fiji's physical style and Cook Islands' eighth world ranking could cause upsets. The tournament will be played across ten venues, including eight in Australia, with Papua New Guinea hosting two matches in Port Moresby and New Zealand staging one in Christchurch. The final is set for Brisbane on 15 November. For Fiji, a strong showing against the Kangaroos could boost their chances of reaching the semi-finals and cementing their status as a Pacific powerhouse. Australia, meanwhile, will aim to start their title defence with a statement victory. Tonight's result will shape the Pool A standings and provide an early indicator of which teams are primed for a deep run in the tournament.