PORT MORESBY, 13 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL)–A major pay gap between Australia and the other 13 nations competing at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup has raised fresh questions about fairness in international rugby league. Australian players selected for the Kangaroos will receive a flat AUD$40,000 (K124,984) each for representing their country at the World Cup. Players from the other competing nations, including the PNG Kumuls, are guaranteed only AUD$850 (K2,655) per match from the tournament organisers. The figures were reported by The Sydney Morning Herald and confirmed in subsequent reports, highlighting a huge difference in payments between Australia and the rest of the international field. Under the reported arrangement, a player from one of the 13 other nations who plays every match and reaches the World Cup final would receive a maximum of AUD$4,250 (K13,279) in standard match payments. That is almost 10 times less than the AUD$40,000 (about K125,000) guaranteed to each Australian player. For PNG, the issue comes at an important time as the PNG Kumuls prepare to host World Cup matches and compete in a tough Group C alongside England, Samoa and Lebanon. The Kumuls are scheduled to play Samoa and Lebanon at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby before travelling to Australia to face England. The pay difference is largely linked to the financial strength of the national governing bodies. Australia has a much stronger commercial base and was able to negotiate the AUD$40,000(US$28.247) payment for its players through an agreement between the Australian Rugby League Commission and the Rugby League Players’ Association. The other nations rely on the tournament’s standard payments, with their own rugby league bodies able to provide additional money if they have the financial resources. But, for many Pacific nations including PNG, funding remains a major challenge. The difference has also become an important issue for players who are eligible to represent more than one country. Some established NRL players have been considering switching their international allegiance to Pacific nations such as Samoa and Tonga. That decision could mean giving up a significant amount of money compared with what they could earn playing for Australia. The issue is important for the Kumuls because Papua New Guinea has a growing number of players competing in the NRL and Queensland Cup. The Kumuls are also entering the World Cup with increased expectations after PNG secured four home matches for the tournament. The financial gap means players representing PNG could receive far less from the tournament than Australian players….PACNEWS