The 2026 NRL season may be finished, but plenty of action remains with the Rugby League World Cup around the corner.
The Sharks will be well represented on the international stage in October and November, with a myriad of stars named to play for their respective countries.
See who's playing and when with the tracker below.
Australia - Blayke Brailey
After being selected for Australia’s 2025 Ashes campaign and missing out on playing, the Sharks co-captain will be dreaming of a debut in the green and gold at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, and of lifting the trophy at the end of it in a star-studded squad. After helping New South Wales lift the Origin Shield this year and taking the Sharks to another finals campaign, the electric number 9 would be one of the most deserving debutants if he gets his chance.
Schedule
Round 1 - Australia v New Zealand: October 15, Allianz Stadium, Sydney.
Round 2 - Australia v Fiji: October 25, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
Round 3 - Australia v Cook Islands: October 31, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.
Cook Islands - KL Iro
Cook Islands captain and Cronulla champion KL Iro will bring star power to his home nation’s World Cup campaign as he lines up alongside Sharks’ 2016 Premiership hero Valentine Holmes. The Kukis have never made it past a RLWC group stage, so they will aim to change that in 2026, but they face some tough competition.
Schedule
Round 1 – Cook Islands v Fiji: October 18, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle.
Round 2 - Cook Islands v New Zealand: October 25, One NZ Stadium, Christchurch.
Round 3 - Cook Islands v Australia: October 31, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.
Lebanon - Michael Gabrael
The Sharks’ Round 27 NRL debutant Michael Gabrael will also make his Lebanon men’s debut this year and at the Rugby League World Cup of all places. The 21-year-old recently extended his stay in Cronulla until at least 2029, and many will see why when he struts his stuff for his beloved Cedars in 12 days' time.
Read more about Gabrael's World Cup goals here
Schedule
Round 1 - Lebanon v Papua New Guinea: October 17, Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby.
Round 2 - Lebanon v Tonga: October 23, CommBank Stadium, Sydney.
Round 3 - Lebanon v France: November 1, CommBank Stadium, Sydney.
New Zealand - Briton Nikora and Ronaldo Mulitalo
Sharks’ stars Briton Nikora and Ronaldo Mulitalo are out to add a World Cup title to their resumes in the 2026 edition. Mulitalo ruptured his ACL while playing for the Kiwis in last year’s Pacific Championships, but his round 11 Magic Round return from injury showed many why he is regarded as one of the competition's best wingers, as he helped the Sharks win 9 of their next 10 games. Nikora impressed in his Maroons debut series this year and will be aiming to step it up a notch in the international arena.
Schedule
Round 1 - New Zealand v Australia: October 15, Allianz Stadium, Sydney.
Round 2 - New Zealand v Cook Islands: October 25, One NZ Stadium, Christchurch.
Round 3 - New Zealand v Fiji: October 31, Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast.
Tonga - Addin Fonua-Blake and Sione Katoa
Tonga co-captain Addin Fonua-Blake will again lead the charge for the world's 5th-ranked men’s side. The Sharks propstar gets another chance to send off his departing Cronulla teammate, Sione Katoa. Katoa became just the fourth player to score 100 tries in the black, white and blue this season, and won the Red Bull Highflyer of the Year Award for his epic round 25 sideline try. Tonga’s best result was third at the 2017 World Cup, and they’ll be confident they can do even better in 2026.
Schedule
Round 1 - Tonga v England: October 17, HBF Park, Perth.
Round 2 - Lebanon v Tonga: October 23, CommBank Stadium, Sydney.
Round 3 – Tonga v Samoa: November 1, CommBank Stadium, Sydney.
