IRL Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup 2026, which will again be played alongside the Men's and Women's World Cups, kicks off on October 30 in a huge day for England in Wollongong.
England, ranked No.1 in the latest IRL Wheelchair World Rankings, will open their defence of the World Cup they won in Manchester in 2022 against Wales at WIN Entertainment Centre as part of a double-header also featuring Ireland v USA.
The Wheelchair double-header will be followed by England Women taking on Fetu Samoa and England Men facing Papua New Guinea at the adjoining WIN Stadium.
Wollongong will host the Wheelchair tournament in its entirety, with eight nations - Australia, England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, USA, Wales - playing 20 matches at WIN Stadium, including the final on November 13.
Wheelchair rugby league is an exciting sport full of big hits and athletic plays, and the rules align with running rugby league, including the game consisting of two 40-minute halves and the ball having to be passed backwards.
How are the teams made up
Five players are on the court at any given time, with a further three players serving as substitutes. Teams can be mixed gender and there are no restrictions on age.
A common misconception is that wheelchair rugby league athletes have to have a physical disability, but that isn't the case, with up to two able-bodied players allowed on the court at any given time.
Scoring
Just like running rugby league, the aim is simple - ground the ball in the opposition in-goal area to score a try. Conversions, like all traditional kicking motions in wheelchair rugby league, are completed with a player's fist in a punching motion with drop goals "kicked" in the same way. Drop goals are 'kicked' in the same way.
Scoring plays are worth the same as they are in running rugby league, with four points for a try, two for a conversion and one for a drop goal.
Tackling
All players wear tags on their shoulders during a game; when at least one of them is removed from the player in possession by an opponent, that counts as one tackle.
Contact can be made with the chair of a ball-carrier, often resulting in big hits, and if a player can't progress or get the ball free, it counts as a tackle by default.
A play-the-ball is completed by touching the ball on the floor and passing to a teammate. Possession lasts for six tackles before the ball is handed over.
Wheelchair World Cup Media Call
What: Photo and interview opportunity
When: 11am Wednesday, October 28
Where: WIN Entertainment Centre (entry via Quilkey Place on beach side of venue)
Who: The following players from the 8 competing nations:
- England: Player Mason Billington
- Ireland: Captain James McCarthy (bio below)
- Scotland: Captain Olivia Fulton
- Wales: Captain Jodie Boyd-Ward (bio below)
- Australia: Captain Bayley McKenna (bio below)
- France: Player Léo Hivernat (bio below)
- New Zealand: Players Mitch Stone and Pele Sulusi
- USA: Captain Jessie Lind (bio below)
Also in attendance will be Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown, as well as coaches and officials from the teams which will contest the fifth Wheelchair World Cup, kicking off at WIN Entertainment Centre this Friday.
Group A (England, Ireland, USA, Wales)
Ireland
James McCarthy
James McCarthy is an international multi-sport athlete and two-time Paralympian. James became involved in wheelchair rugby league in 2022 and was selected for the RLWC in London. A founding member of Munster Club in Ireland, he has been key to developing the game in Ireland and the progression of our nations team.
USA WheelHawks
Jesse Lind (Captain)
Jesse Lind is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a passionate wheelchair rugby league athlete who serves as captain of the USA WheelHawks. Originally from Jamestown, New York, Jesse discovered wheelchair rugby league after a spinal cord injury changed his life. A fierce competitor known for his determination, leadership, and love of the game, Jesse has helped pioneer wheelchair rugby league in the United States. After representing Team USA at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, he continues to lead the WheelHawks as they compete on the international stage and work to grow the sport across America.
Geoff Mason (head coach)
A native of Australia, Mason holds dual citizenship. He started playing RL at age 6 and played Jersey Flegg and Presidents Cup for Penrith in the early seventies. After stints with Sydney University and second division clubs like Windsor, Mason was graded with Newtown in 1976 and played two seasons in both first and reserve grade. In 1978, he went to South Newcastle on contract and played in the 1978 Gf. He also played for the Newcastle division in the country championship and represented the Division in a 19-12 victory over the touring NZ Kiwis.
He has coached US Wheelchair for 6 years
Wales
Jodie Boyd-Ward (captain)
Jodie will become the first wheelchair player to win 50 caps if she plays three matches in this World Cup. Qualifying through her Welsh grandfather, she switched to Wales in 2021 having previously played for Ireland and England.
She made her international debut in the first ever UK and Ireland Four Nations tournament in 2012 for Ireland, before featuring for them at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, playing in all seven of their games in those two years.
Following that 2013 tournament, she went on to win 22 caps for England where she won European Championship honours. She has now won 18 Welsh caps which includes three Celtic Cup victories in 2021 and 2022.
She has also had domestic success with Leeds Rhinos as a winning member of their 2018 Super League and 2019 Challenge Cup squad, before helping them to a historic league and cup double in 2021, the Challenge Cup in 2022 and a Super League title in 2024.
Alan Caron (head coach)
Alan was a founder member, first ever coach and the first ever captain of the Wales Wheelchair side, and is also heritage player #1. In 2023, he returned to the role of Wales Wheelchair head coach after winning a then record 42 Welsh caps.
He played community rugby league for Wolverhampton Wizards before injury put him out of the game. He was then introduced to Wheelchair Rugby League during the sports infancy when France visited England in 2005. Following the 2008 World Cup, Alan was approached to help develop the game where he then went on to found Wolverhampton Rhinos and was then approached by North Wales Crusaders to become their first ever player and head coach.
In 2018, he departed the club to join Hereford Harriers where in his first season played a pivotal part in their domestic treble winning success. He now also coaches and plays for Midlands Hurricanes, after they took over Hereford Harriers, in 2026.
His other sporting achievements includes being elected assistant coach and team manager of both Great Britain U23s and Ireland Wheelchair Basketball international sides. He has also had experience working as a player and behind the scenes London Wheelchair Rugby Club who were linked with the original incarnation of London Broncos.
World champions England are the team to beat and prepared for the World Cup with a tour to Australia 12 months ago to play the Wheelaroos in a Wheelchair Ashes series.
Since England's 28-24 triumph over France in an epic World Cup final at Manchester Central in 2022, the game has gone from strength to strength domestically. with the introduction of the Wheelchair Super League.
Group B (Australia, France, New Zealand, Scotland)
Australia
Bayley McKenna (captain)
Captain of the Australian Wheelaroos, Golden Boot finalist and dynamic playmaker leading the next generation of Australian Wheelchair Rugby League stars.
Bayley McKenna has emerged as one of the brightest stars in international Wheelchair Rugby League, establishing himself as one of Australia's most exciting and influential players despite still being early in his career. Since taking up the sport alongside his father in 2019, Bayley has progressed rapidly through the representative pathway, making his Wheelaroos debut in 2022 and becoming one of the first names selected in both Queensland and Australian teams. His rapid rise has now seen him entrusted with the captaincy of the Wheelaroos as Australia prepares to contest the Rugby League World Cup on home soil.
His rise has been underpinned by outstanding performances on the international stage. In 2025, Bayley was named Player of the Match against reigning world champions England after a commanding display that showcased his vision, creativity and composure under pressure. He has also been recognised among the world's best players through consecutive nominations for the International Rugby League Golden Boot Award in 2024 and 2025. A gifted playmaker and reliable goal-kicker, Bayley will lead Australia into the World Cup as one of the key figures in the Wheelaroos' campaign on home soil.
Despite his growing international profile and the responsibility of captaincy, Bayley remains one of the most approachable personalities in the game. Instantly recognisable by his trademark mullet and relaxed nature, he is known for keeping things simple away from the pitch – including joking that he survives almost entirely on meat and refuses to eat vegetables. Behind the humour is an exceptional competitor whose commitment, talent and leadership have made him one of the faces of Wheelchair Rugby League in Australia and an exciting player for fans to follow throughout the World Cup.
Brett Clark (head coach)
Brett Clark is one of the pioneers of Wheelchair Rugby League in Australia and has played a significant role in the sport's growth and success over more than a decade. A highly respected coach and mentor, he has helped develop many of the athletes who now represent the Wheelaroos, while also contributing to the expansion of Wheelchair Rugby League across the country.
As Head Coach of the Wheelaroos, Brett has guided Australia through a period of continued growth on the international stage, building a squad that combines experienced internationals with emerging talent. His emphasis on high-performance standards, teamwork and creating opportunities for athletes with disability has been central to the program's success.
With the Rugby League World Cup being played on home soil in 2026, Brett is leading the team's preparations as the Wheelaroos pursue their first World Cup title. Passionate about both performance and participation, he remains committed to leaving a lasting legacy for Wheelchair Rugby League in Australia.
France
Léo Hivernat
● DOB: 12/12/1997
● Figeac
● Height: 1m71
● Weight: 76kg
● Club: Stade Toulousain Olympique XIII
● Started playing in 2022
● 2x French Championship; 2x French Cup
● First Appearance in World Cup
● Brother Jonathan is also in the team
Cyril Torres (head coach)
As Sporting Director of the Catalans Dragons Wheelchair Rugby League team and a renowned video analyst in the rugby league community, Cyril Torres is a leading figure in the sport. Having been involved with the Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup, Pia XIII as French Champions, and as Head Coach of the Déesses Catalanes, he has made his mark across all aspects of rugby league. Furthermore, his playing experience and titles won with the Catalans Dragons Wheelchair Rugby League team, Toulouse Olympique Para Rugby XIII, the Leeds Rhinos and the Canterbury Bulldogs will enable him to guide the French team throughout this World Cup.
New Zealand
Mitchell Stone
Mitchell Stone is a 38-year-old wheelchair rugby league player who lives in Albion Park Rail, NSW, with his wife and two daughters.
Growing up in the Sutherland Shire, Mitchell played junior rugby league for the Como Crocs until a boating accident in 2010 left him with paraplegia.
Mitchell began playing Wheelchair Rugby League in 2011 and captained the Roosters to a premiership in his debut season. He has represented NSW on multiple occasions in State v State and represented Australia in 2013, becoming Wheelaroo #15.
He currently plays for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the local competition. A glazier by trade, Mitchell now owns a business specialising in wheelchair prescription, servicing and repairs.
Pele Sulusi
Pele Sulusi was a promising young rugby league player, playing representative football for the Sydney Roosters, when he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16. His diagnosis brought his playing career to an early end and led to the amputation of his leg below the knee.
Pele began his Wheelchair Rugby League journey in 2022 and currently plays for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NSW Cup.
Outside of rugby league, Pele owns and operates Dare to Adapt, an adaptive fitness program that supports people living with disability to achieve their fitness goals.
Edie George (head coach)
Edie George is the inaugural Head Coach of the New Zealand Wheel Kiwis, a role he has held since 2024.
Edie began playing Wheelchair Rugby League in 2013 as a non-disabled participant. He went on to serve as a committee member before becoming Chairperson of NSW Wheelchair Rugby League, a position he held from 2016 to 2025.
After representing NSW on two occasions, Edie transitioned into coaching in 2020. He coached NSW from 2020 to 2024 and served as an assistant coach for the Australian Wheelaroos at the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.
