New Zealand at the Rugby League World Cup
Every Rugby League World Cup appearance on record for New Zealand, aggregated from our full tournament archive.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
New Zealand at the Rugby League World Cup: 16 appearances, 1 title (2008).
Also confirmed for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
About New Zealand in rugby league
The Kiwis are the only nation besides Australia and Great Britain to win a men's World Cup, famously upsetting table-topping hosts Australia 34-20 in the 2008 final at Brisbane's Lang Park — widely regarded as one of the biggest shocks in the sport's history. New Zealand have reached multiple other finals (1988, 2000, 2013) without adding a second title, cementing their status as the sport's most consistent 'best of the rest' behind Australia. The Kiwis nickname dates back to 1926, replacing earlier names including the 'Professional All Blacks' and the 'All Golds' — a reference to the sport's early split from amateur rugby union. New Zealand played their first ever international on New Year's Day 1908, losing 9-8 to Wales in Aberdare, and today contest the annual Anzac Test and wider Trans-Tasman fixtures against Australia as the sport's oldest and most consistent rivalry outside Ashes-style Britain-Australia tours.
Sources
| Tournament | Host | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 Rugby League World Cup | France | Competed |
| 1957 Rugby League World Cup | Australia | Competed |
| 1960 Rugby League World Cup | Great Britain | Competed |
| 1968 Rugby League World Cup | Australia & New Zealand | Competed |
| 1970 Rugby League World Cup | England | Competed |
| 1972 Rugby League World Cup | France | Competed |
| 1975 Rugby League World Cup | No single host — matches played across Australia, England, France, New Zealand and Wales | Competed |
| 1977 Rugby League World Cup | Australia & New Zealand | Competed |
| 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, France & Papua New Guinea | Runner-up |
| 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, France & Papua New Guinea | Competed |
| 1995 Rugby League World Cup | England & Wales | Competed |
| 2000 Rugby League World Cup | England, France, Ireland, Scotland & Wales | Runner-up |
| 2008 Rugby League World Cup | Australia | Champion |
| 2013 Rugby League World Cup | England, Wales, France & Ireland | Runner-up |
| 2017 Rugby League World Cup | Australia, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea | Competed |
| 2021 Rugby League World Cup | England | Competed |
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