'Inclusive, ambitious, united': Nigeria driving plans for emerging nations tournament

Nigeria Rugby League Association is driving plans for an Emerging Nations Challenge in Sydney to coincide with Rugby League World Cup 2026.

NRLA Director of High Performance & International Competitions Luke Shearman said the tournament would provide meaningful international competition for emerging nations, support global development and build sustainable player pathways.

Officials from seven countries representing all regions of the globe - Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific - expressed their interest in fielding teams during an online meeting last weekend, and other nations are waiting in the wings.

Shearman said the proposed Emerging Nations Challenge would feature a Men's and Women's tournament, each comprising of five teams.

He said the aim was to create the structure for a regular emerging nations tournament that could be played in other parts of the world, including Africa.

“This isn’t just a tournament - it’s a statement about where international rugby league is heading,” Shearman said.

“Emerging nations are no longer on the fringes, they are the future of our game, and this campaign is about accelerating that future.

“We’re not waiting for opportunity, we’re building it. This is about taking ownership of our growth and creating a platform that gives Nigeria Rugby League and all emerging nations the visibility and experience we deserve.”

Nigeria fell one win short of an historic World Cup berth after reaching the final of the inaugural Women’s World Series in Canada last October.

Fiji beat Nigeria to claim the eighth and final Women's berth at RLWC2026 in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Shearman said the experience had left the Nigeria players and officials hungry for more international competition.

“Our goal is to create consistency; regular competition, stronger pathways, and ultimately more competitive nations on the world stage,” he said.

“If we want rugby league to truly be a global game, we have to invest in emerging nations. This campaign is exactly that - an investment in the future of international rugby league.”

Under the proposal, the Emerging Nations Challenge would be held in Sydney from October 19 to November 11, with each team playing four matches.

Nations will be able to select eligible players from the NRL, NRLW and Super League but can only use up to four players from those competitions per game.

Shearman said games would not clash with World Cup fixtures but the experience of playing while RLWC2026 was being staged would inspire emerging nations to aim for a place at future tournaments.

“Hosting this in Australia is strategic,” he said. “It places emerging nations in the heart of rugby league, exposing players and programs to elite environments, professional standards, and the global spotlight, whilst aligning it to the World Cup to give spectators additional rugby league games to support and attend.

“This is what international rugby league should look like; inclusive, ambitious and united in growing the game globally.

“Our goal is to create consistency - regular competition, stronger pathways, and ultimately more competitive nations on the world stage.”