Bati remain confident despite tough RLWC Pool

Fiji Bati remains optimis­tic about next year's Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) campaign despite being drawn into what many consider a challenging pool. Fiji is drawn in Pool A against number one Australia, New Zea­land and ninth ranked Cook Is­lands.

Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) executive chairman Akuila Masi said the team's history and spirit give them every reason to be­lieve they can rise to the occasion. The seventh ranked team exited in the semifinal in the last two RLWC.

"It is certainly a tough pool, but nothing is impossible when the heart is willing. The Bati have reached two World Cup semifinals in the past including a memorable quarterfinal win over New Zealand so we are not optimistic," Masi said.

Masi said that the key to success will lie in finding the right combi­nations and supporting the prepa­ration process.

He added the coaching staff has spent the past three years testing systems and building depth, ensur­ing they can maintain or exceed the standard set in previous tourna­ments.

"While the team's performance has fluctuated over the past three years, the groundwork has already been laid. We want to build on that momentum heading into the 2026 World Cup," he added.

Recent competitions have seen several debutants step up during the Pacific Championships, with promising young players emerging from the Vodafone Cup, NSW Cup, and Queensland Cup.

The boost in local talent is comple­mented by experienced NRL players who have expressed interest in representing Fiji on the world stage. With about 11 months remaining until kickoff, Masi said that selec­tion remains wide open.

"The door is open for any player, including those from the local com­petition, to impress the coaches and selectors. Our goal is to send the best possible team to represent Fiji at the highest level."

In a major move for talent identi­fication and preparation, Fiji will reinstate the Battle of the Bati next year, a format that pits local and overseas-based players against each other.

He said it has proven to be an ef-fective and fair platform in past campaigns. The 2026 RLWC will see three tournaments, 14 nations, 26 teams, 53 matches in 31 days which will be played across three countries and nine host cities for men, women and wheelchair. The draw will be held in October and November next year.

MEN'S POOLS:

■ Group A: Australia (1), New Zea­land (2), Fiji (7), Cook Islands (9).

■ Group B: England (3), Samoa (4), Lebanon (21).

■ Group C: Tonga (5), PNG (6), France (8).