Australia’s Jillaroos win Women’s Rugby League World Cup glory after a ruthless first-half display swept New Zealand’s Kiwi Ferns aside 34-10 in Sunday’s final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Winger Jaime Chapman scored a hat-trick inside the opening 40 minutes as the defending champions sealed a fourth consecutive world title and underlined their standing as the dominant force in the women’s game.
The victory extends a remarkable run for Australian women’s rugby league. The Jillaroos have now won the World Cup in 2013, 2017, 2022 and 2026, and they remain unbeaten in 16 World Cup matches, a streak stretching back to July 2013. New Zealand, who won the first three editions of the tournament in 2000, 2003 and 2008, have now lost four straight finals to the same opponents.
| Match | Women’s Rugby League World Cup final 2026 |
| Result | Australia Jillaroos 34-10 New Zealand Kiwi Ferns |
| Date | Sunday 15 November 2026 |
| Venue | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| Half-time score | Australia 34-6 New Zealand |
| Australia tries | Jaime Chapman 3, Shaylee Bent, Jessica Sergis, Tamika Upton |
| Australia goals | Lauren Southwell 5 |
| New Zealand tries | Shannon Mato, Mackenzie Wiki |
| New Zealand goal | Kiria-Ratu |
| Player of the Match | Tamika Upton |
| Title | Australia’s fourth consecutive Women’s Rugby League World Cup |
Chapman’s hat-trick lights up a one-sided first half
The final was effectively settled inside 15 minutes. A knock-on near the New Zealand try line after only two minutes allowed Australia to spread the ball wide, and Chapman dived over in the corner for her 11th try of the tournament, according to AFP. Shaylee Bent crashed over for the second converted try soon after, and by midway through the first half Australia led 18-0 after another Chapman finish off a lightning break.
Jessica Sergis then produced the try of the match, shrugging off three tackles on a sensational solo run the length of the field. New Zealand finally got on the board when Shannon Mato barged across, but Chapman’s third try, bursting through two tackles to race away, restored full control before Tamika Upton added a sixth try before the break. At half-time the scoreboard read 34-6, and the trophy was already heading to Australia.
The numbers behind the blitz were stark. Australia scored six tries and five goals in a single half of rugby league, while New Zealand managed one try. Chapman left the field at the break with a hat-trick and 13 tries for the tournament, a new individual record for a single Women’s Rugby League World Cup.
Six tries before the break, then a war of attrition
The second half told a different story. Australia were unable to add to their score as the humid Brisbane conditions took their toll and errors crept into their game. New Zealand applied sustained pressure and defended desperately, keeping the champions at bay after the restart.
Yet the Kiwi Ferns could not turn their pressure into points until the dying seconds, when Mackenzie Wiki crossed for the only try of the second half. The 10 points New Zealand managed all afternoon reflected how completely Australia had controlled the contest when it mattered, even as the second half became a tighter, more error-strewn affair.
For New Zealand, the defeat continues a painful pattern. The Kiwi Ferns had won only one of their previous 12 Tests against the Jillaroos dating back to 2017, and they have now been beaten by Australia in four consecutive World Cup finals. Captain Raecene McGregor struck a defiant note afterwards, saying: “We didn’t quite get the job done today, but we are going to assert dominance back into this jersey. The best of the Kiwi Ferns is yet to be shown, so stay with us.”
Jillaroos Win Women’s Rugby League World Cup: the dynasty in numbers
Four straight titles only begins to describe Australia’s grip on the women’s game. The Jillaroos have not lost a World Cup match since July 2013, a 16-match unbeaten run built across four tournaments and three continents. They have beaten the Kiwi Ferns in the final each time during that stretch, turning what was once the sport’s great rivalry into a one-sided procession.
The 2026 campaign added new records to the collection. Chapman’s 13 tries set a new individual tournament benchmark, while the 34 points scored in the final’s first half matched the ruthless standard Australia have set throughout the tournament. Australia’s cricketers have enjoyed a strong weekend of their own, with Mahli Beardman‘s stunning debut figures headlining the one-day series against England, but the Jillaroos’ achievement stands apart as the defining Australian sporting moment of the weekend.
Captain Isabelle Kelly, now a three-time World Cup champion, paid tribute to the beaten finalists and to her own side. “I want to thank the Kiwi Ferns. It’s been such a great rivalry for so many years now, with so much respect between the two of our teams,” Kelly said. “To my team… I’m just so humbled and honoured to be able to lead you guys. This has definitely been a dream come true, and I knew that we could get the job done.”
What the Kiwi Ferns take from a bruising afternoon
New Zealand arrived in Brisbane chasing a first World Cup crown since 2008 and a first win over Australia in three years. Instead they were under pressure from the opening minutes, undone by early errors and by an Australian backline that punished every mistake. The two tries in the opening five minutes did the damage, and the four more before half-time left no way back.
There were positives for the Kiwi Ferns to carry forward. Their second-half defence held Australia scoreless for 40 minutes, and Wiki’s late try at least gave the travelling support something to cheer. McGregor’s post-match message made clear the camp believes the gap can be closed. But the scale of the first-half defeat, and a record that now reads one win in 13 Tests against Australia since 2017, shows how much work remains before the next World Cup cycle.
What comes next as the men’s final closes finals day
Finals day at Suncorp Stadium is not over. The men’s final between the Australia Kangaroos and the New Zealand Kiwis follows at the same venue on Sunday evening, with the hosts chasing a successful defence of the title they won in 2022. Live coverage of finals day followed the women’s final through to the men’s decider at the same venue.
For the women’s game, the next chapter begins with a familiar question: who can stop Australia? On the evidence of Brisbane, and of a 13-year unbeaten World Cup run, the answer is nobody yet.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What was the score in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup final? A: Australia’s Jillaroos beat New Zealand’s Kiwi Ferns 34-10 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November 2026. Australia led 34-6 at half-time and scored no points in the second half.
Q: Who scored the tries for Australia? A: Jaime Chapman scored a first-half hat-trick, with Shaylee Bent, Jessica Sergis and Tamika Upton adding one try each. Lauren Southwell kicked five goals. Shannon Mato and Mackenzie Wiki scored New Zealand’s tries.
Q: How many Women’s Rugby League World Cups have Australia won in a row? A: Four. The Jillaroos won in 2013, 2017, 2022 and 2026, beating New Zealand in the final each time. They are unbeaten in 16 World Cup matches since July 2013.
Q: Who was named Player of the Match? A: Tamika Upton, who scored Australia’s sixth try just before half-time and was recognised as the standout performer of the final.
Q: When is the men’s Rugby League World Cup final? A: The men’s final between the Australia Kangaroos and the New Zealand Kiwis is played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday evening, 15 November 2026, closing finals day at the same venue.
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