THE FINAL two teams at the 2026 World Cup will be decided by play-off games, with a planned World Series event axed.
Eight of the ten men’s teams at next year’s reduced tournament in Australia and Papua New Guinea have already been confirmed as all of the quarter-finalists from the 2022 edition qualify automatically.
International Rugby League planned to have a World Series this autumn in one location, in which four teams from different regions would take part.
However, the governing body said that “there was no viable bid to host a men’s World Series following a tender process.”
The four remaining sides will instead take part in one-off matches, with France hosting Jamaica in Albi on October 25 and Cook Islands playing South Africa at an undecided location in the Pacific.
The two winners will join holders Australia, England, Fiji, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga at the World Cup.
France won a European qualifying tournament on home soil last year to reach this stage, beating Wales in the final, while the other three nations in contention were the only sides in their respective regions eligible to qualify for the World Cup as IRL full members.
The clash between France and Jamaica will be only their second meeting, after a 34-12 home win in Perpignan in a 2017 friendly.
Dominique Baloup, the president of the French federation, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jamaica to France for the final stages of the IRL Rugby League World Cup qualifiers.
“This match is very important for both teams, and home advantage is essential for us. The support of the French public reinforces our team’s efforts, as it did during last year’s European qualifiers.
“We are delighted to once again be able to host a varied programme of international matches here in France.”
Jamaica director of rugby Romeo Monteith said: “With the format confirmed, our focus is now solely on doing our best in France in what will be an extremely difficult showdown with the French.
“When we last played in France we played in front of a large crowd, and it was a fantastic experience which we hope to repeat this autumn”.
