Australia 32-12 New Zealand: Kangaroos Win Fourth Straight Rugby League World Cup Final
Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 in the Rugby League World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November 2026, sealing a fourth successive world title in front of 52,461 fans. Doubles from Liam Martin and Jack Bostock powered the Kangaroos to a six-tries-to-two victory that underlined their grip on the sport’s biggest prize.
The win was Australia’s 13th World Cup title in 16 editions of the tournament, and their 23rd consecutive World Cup match victory. New Zealand, whose only title came in 2008, were beaten finalists for the second time in this tournament’s story — the Kangaroos had also edged them 24-22 in the opening match in Sydney on 15 October.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Final score | Australia 32, New Zealand 12 |
| Venue | Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane |
| Date | Sunday 15 November 2026 |
| Attendance | 52,461 |
| Australia tries | Liam Martin (2), Jack Bostock (2), Bradman Best, Tom Trbojevic |
| Australia goals | Cameron Munster — 3 conversions, 1 penalty |
| New Zealand tries | Casey McLean, Isaiah Papali’i |
| New Zealand goals | Jamayne Isaako — 2 conversions |
| Player of the Final | Jack Bostock |
| Half-time score | Australia 24, New Zealand 6 |
| Title count | Australia’s 13th in 16 editions; fourth in a row |
Martin’s Record-Breaking Start Sets the Tone
New Zealand blundered from the opening kick-off when Jamayne Isaako sent the ball over the dead-ball line on the full, handing Australia a penalty on halfway. The Kangaroos made the Kiwis pay at once. Hooker Harry Grant faked left and went right from dummy half, sending Liam Martin crashing over the top of the defence inside the first two minutes.
It was the fastest try ever scored in a Rugby League World Cup final, breaking a record set only hours earlier in the same stadium. Jillaroos winger Jaime Chapman had crossed after 125 seconds in the women’s final, when Australia’s women beat New Zealand 34-10 to claim their own fourth straight title. Martin’s effort, timed at around 84 seconds, now stands alone at the top of the list.
Casey McLean drew New Zealand level, but the Kangaroos’ response was ruthless. Jack Bostock restored the lead on 20 minutes, collecting his eighth try of the tournament from a Bradman Best tap-on after Reece Walsh had torn at the Kiwi edge. Best and Martin then crossed in the 10 minutes before half-time, and Cameron Munster’s conversions put Australia 24-6 ahead at the break.
Bostock’s Double Caps a Breakthrough Tournament
Tom Trbojevic added Australia’s fifth try shortly after half-time, and although Isaiah Papali’i crossed for New Zealand’s second, the result was never in doubt. With six minutes left, coach Kevin Walters sent on James Tedesco for a farewell cameo in what was the veteran fullback’s last Test match. Tedesco, who captained Australia to victory in the 2022 final over Samoa, was on the field as Best delivered a flick pass for Bostock to dot down in the left corner and ice the 32-12 win.
Bostock was named Player of the Final. The 23-year-old, playing on the wing after a season in which he made both his New South Wales and Australian debuts, finished the tournament with nine tries. “I can’t put it into words. It’s unbelievable,” he said after the match.
The scoreline reflected a tournament in which Australia grew stronger as it went on. They had begun slowly, needing a comeback to beat New Zealand 24-22 in the curtain-raiser, but swept through the knockout stage, beating Samoa 44-12 in the semi-final while New Zealand reached the decider with a 34-10 win over Tonga.
What the Fourth Straight Title Means for the Sport
Australia’s dominance is now a structural fact of international rugby league. The Kangaroos have not lost a World Cup match since the 2008 final defeat to New Zealand, and their last four titles — Brisbane in 2017, Manchester in 2022 and Brisbane again in 2026, alongside the 2013 triumph — have come by increasingly comfortable margins in the decider.
For New Zealand, the wait goes on. The Kiwis remain the only nation other than Australia and Great Britain to have lifted the trophy, but they have now lost three of the last four finals they have contested. One consolation from the night belonged to Isaako: his conversions took his Test points tally to 227, passing Shaun Johnson’s New Zealand record of 225.
The tournament’s next chapter is already mapped out. The 2030 edition will be played as a series of Magic Rounds in five cities across the Pacific and the United States, organised by the Australian Rugby League Commission — a format designed to take the sport’s showpiece beyond its traditional heartlands. On the evidence of Brisbane, Australia will arrive as favourites again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final?
A: Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November 2026, winning the men’s Rugby League World Cup for the fourth time in a row.
Q: Who was named Player of the Final?
A: Jack Bostock, who scored two tries in the final and finished the tournament with nine tries. The 23-year-old winger was playing in his first World Cup.
Q: What was the fastest try in Rugby League World Cup final history?
A: Liam Martin’s opening try for Australia, scored inside the first two minutes after Harry Grant’s dummy-half play. It broke a record set hours earlier by Jaime Chapman in the women’s final at the same stadium.
Q: How many Rugby League World Cup titles has Australia won?
A: Thirteen titles in 16 editions. Australia have now won their last 23 World Cup matches, with their only final defeat coming against New Zealand in 2008.
Q: When and where is the next Rugby League World Cup?
A: The next edition is scheduled for 2030 and will be played as a series of Magic Rounds in five cities across the Pacific and the United States.
