Kevin Walters and Jess Skinner have locked in their 23-player squads for a home Rugby League World Cup, with the Kangaroos opening against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on October 15.
Australia have named their Kangaroos and Jillaroos squads for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, with Isaah Yeo to lead the men and Isabelle Kelly handed the women’s captaincy for the first time.
Kevin Walters’ 23-man Kangaroos group will open the tournament against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on Thursday, 15 October. Jess Skinner’s Jillaroos begin 24 hours later against Samoa at CommBank Stadium.
Yeo will captain the Kangaroos despite playing the back end of the NRL season with a ruptured pectoral. The Penrith lock has pushed surgery back so he can lead Australia through the tournament. James Tedesco is a frontrunner to start at fullback after a Clive Churchill Medal performance in the Sydney Roosters’ 19–18 grand final win over Newcastle. Tedesco is one of three Roosters in the 23, alongside Lindsay Collins and Sam Walker.
Several players are eyeing Kangaroos debuts, including David Fifita and Jack Bostock. Walters has also named three shadow players: Thomas Jenkins (Penrith Panthers), Hamish Stewart (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Ethan Strange (Canberra Raiders).
The squad is built without Nathan Cleary, who is unavailable after a leg injury, and without Robert Toia, who will play for Tonga. Mitchell Moses, Tom Dearden and Walker give Walters three halves options, with Cameron Munster and Reece Walsh also in the group.
Kangaroos squad: Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights), Jack Bostock (Dolphins), Blayke Brailey (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos), Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters), Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys), Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans), David Fifita (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm), Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers), Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels), Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm), Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs), Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos), James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters), Tom Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Sam Walker (Sydney Roosters), Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos), Isaah Yeo (c) (Penrith Panthers).
Coach: Kevin Walters.
Kangaroos pool fixtures
| Round | Date | Kick-off | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thursday 15 October | 8:05pm AEDT | New Zealand | Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
| 2 | Sunday 25 October | 7:05pm AEST | Fiji | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
| 3 | Saturday 31 October | 7:05pm AEST | Cook Islands | Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville |
The Jillaroos announcement is built around a Sydney Roosters core. Tarryn Aiken, who won the Karyn Murphy Medal as best on ground in the NRLW grand final, is one of eight Roosters selected after the club went through the NRLW season undefeated. Kelly will captain her country for the first time.
Tamika Upton, Julia Robinson and Jesse Southwell give Brisbane a strong Broncos presence, while Kezie Apps, Shaylee Bent and Sarah Togatuki are the Wests Tigers trio in Skinner’s 23.
Jillaroos squad: Isabelle Kelly (c) (Sydney Roosters), Tarryn Aiken (Sydney Roosters), Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers), Shaylee Bent (Wests Tigers), Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels), Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans), Quincy Dodd (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights), Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Keilee Joseph (Parramatta Eels), Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters), Keeley Nizza (Sydney Roosters), Sariah Paki (Sydney Roosters), Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos), Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters), Jesse Southwell (Brisbane Broncos), Simaima Taufa (Canberra Raiders), Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers), Tamika Upton (Brisbane Broncos), Makenzie Weale (North Queensland Cowboys).
Coach: Jess Skinner.
Jillaroos pool fixtures
| Round | Date | Kick-off | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friday 16 October | 8:05pm | Samoa | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
| 2 | Saturday 24 October | 5:05pm WST | England | HBF Park, Perth |
| 3 | Sunday 1 November | 3:40pm | Wales | CommBank Stadium, Sydney |
Full draw, pools and match links are on the 2026 Rugby League World Cup hub.
