Sports

How much will Pacific players be paid at the Rugby League World Cup?

All players playing at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup will be paid AU$850 per week as a standard match fee, but individual federations can pay their players more if they can afford to.

The International Rugby League clarified this to RNZ Pacific on Thursday, following reports that some member associations are concerned that Australian players are reportedly due to receive AU$40,000 flat payment per player.

That deal is being reported to have been made between the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and the Rugby League Players' Association (RLPA).

That match fee will be equally paid to both male and female players in both the Kangaroos and the Jillaroos teams.

In contrast, players from Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga will receive AU$2,550 for three weeks; AU$3,440 if their team makes the top four; and AU$4,250 if they reach the final.

International Rugby League Secretary General Danny Kazandjian

IRL

RLWC 2026 is being held in October, joint hosted by Australia, PNG and New Zealand.

Danny Kazandjian, the IRL Secretary General, said players who will play at the tournament will be remunerated in two ways.

"Players receive a standard fee for each match they play and 50% of any prize money is shared equally among the squad, irrespective of appearances," he said in response to questions raised with him.

"The match fee is being introduced for the first ever time and is an initiative of the host organisation, Australia Rugby League (ARLC).

"Should participant national federations choose to pay their own national team players in addition to the contracted RLWC match fee, that is up to them."

He said every participating squad in the world cup has all their costs covered, including flights into the host country, all internal transportation in the event, plus meals and accommodation.

Australian players

RNZ Pacific has been told that the Kangaroos and Jillaroos RLWC payment was set during the previous negotiation, including at the last world cup, and is not a 'newly' determined amount.

The Kangaroos and Jillaroos payment is not paid from the Rugby League World Cup but through a deal between the Australian federation and the players association, representing the players.

That was also done at the 2022 RLWC, where the Kangaroos received the same amount, while the Jillaroos payment this time around is an increase.

Meanwhile, the IRL said payment for all players have also increased for the upcoming event.

At the 2022 RLWC players received 45 precent of the participation fee, which meant players received a minimum of AU$1526, for the three weeks of pool matchs, which is AU$1024 less than what individual players will get this time around.

Australian wing Julia Robinson takes on the Kiwi Ferns in round three of the Pacific Championship rugby league tournament at Eden Park, Auckland, 2 November 2025.

Photosport

Kazandjian said each federation can top up the contracted match fee amount if they so wished to, that coming out of their respective budgets.

Pacific players

Fiji National Rugby League board chairman Rajesh Singh said while the big difference in what Australian players will get and what others will receive has been a talking point for them and other island federations, the FNRL will discuss the issue and see how they can deal with it.

"We will leave it to the Board to work out what we can do," he said.

A number of Pasifika heritage players in the National Rugby League, who are eligible for Australia and New Zealand, have indictated they will play for their countries of origins.

Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga are expecting some of those players to play for them at the world meet.

The players have indicated their willingness to follow the path taken by Tongan heritage players Andrew Fifita, Jason Taumalolo, Daniel Tupou and Konrad Hurrell back in 2017, turning their backs on possible Australia and New Zealand call ups to appear for Mate Ma'a Tonga.

Payne Haas (middle) will play international rugby league under the Samoan flag after switching his allegiance.

AAP / Jono Searle

Four years on Samoan heritage players Jarome Luai, Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Junior Paulo joined a few others to don the Toa Samoa jersey. They were joined in 2025 by Payne Haas, who is also eligible for the Kangaroos, last year.

The players' decision will continue to mean they give up a significant amount of money compared to if they play for Australia or New Zealand.

These players, like Haas, switched international allegiance to honour their parents and origin.