Welcome to our complete RLWC 2026 PNG v Lebanon Match Hub. Here you’ll find all the pre-match information, including team lists, predictions and stats you need and want, key players to watch and why you should bother watching the game at all. Plus we ask AI to do better than us with a predictions and AI Greg Norman pays a visit for his thoughts on this and all RLWC 2026 games.
After the game stop by for just enough of the opinion and post match stats you could need to keep up with each match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
RLWC 2026 PNG v Lebanon Preview
TEAMS
PNG Kumuls: 1. Morea Morea 2. Robert Derby 3. Zac Laybutt 4. Nene Macdonald 5. Dudley Dotoi 6. Gairo Voro 7. Bailey Biondi-Odo 8. Valentine Richard 9. Edwin Ipape 10. Luca Moretti 11. Rhyse Martin 12. Nixon Putt 13. Jack de Belin 14. Finley Glare 15. Liam Horne 16. Epel Kapinias 17. Sylvester Namo 18. Rodrick Tai 19. Sanny Wabo 20. Robert Mathias 21. Khaiya Waiembi 22. Zev John
Lebanon: 1. Jacob Kiraz 2. Tony Francis 3. Michael Gabrael 4. Jordan Samrani 5. Jason Saab 6. Khaled Rajab 7. Alex Conti 8. Jaxson Rahme 9. Yehya Ayache 10. James Roumanos 11. Tony Sukkar 12. Charbel Tasipale 13. Alex Twal 14. Moustafa Dirani 15. Mikael Ibrahim 16. Jalal Bazzaz 17. Khalil Rahme 18. Joseph Nohra 19. Abbas Miski 20. Tupou Francis 21. Mohamed Alameddine 22. Cameron Kanaan
TEAM TALKING POINT:
Decent three quarter line up for Lebanon, you could argue potentially better, and the halves for both sides are relatively unknown for pure NRL followers, and both sides missing star halfbacks in Mitchell Moses and Lachlan Lam.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
EDWIN IPAPE – Ipape is a dynamic player doing his best work for Leigh Leopards, Hooker of the tournament in the last World Cup, and carved up the British Lions when PNG upset them a few years ago. How he’s not an NRL hooker is a mystery. Maybe he’ll end up a Chief. He’s the type of player that the Chiefs should be all about – giving great PNG talent a way of climbing the rugby league ladder without moving to the Super League.
NIXON PUTT – Been a big fan of Putt’s work for a long time now and hope he gets to show that at this World Cup. A dangerous attacker and defender out wide, he could be a handful for Lebanon. He topped the Qld Cup for offloads this season and was top five for post contact metres playing for the Central Capras.
JACOB KIRAZ – The Bulldogs winger finally gets a chance to play his best position – fullback for Lebanon. If he can stay fit for the tournament, which is sometimes easier said than done, he could have a real influence.
BATTLES TO WATCH:
Jason Saab v Dudley Dotoi – Two try scoring wingers that could both be among the points on Saturday. Saab is electric when fit, and PNG’s Dotoi topped the Qld Cup try scoring this season.
Alex Twal v Jack de Belin – The only real NRL head to head clash of the team, and whichever of these experienced players can get the upper edge and motivate their team will go a long way to winning this match. On paper, the PNG forwards do look a little stronger.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT THIS GAME
Because PNG rugby league is infectious, and about to become even more widely known as the PNG Chiefs (name pending) enter the NRL in 2028. A passionate crowd should create a roaring atmosphere and the competition should be fierce. The opening five to ten minutes should produce some hefty, origin style collisions.
PREDICTION
It will be hard fought, and there will no doubt be a few errors throughout, but the PNG forwards look to have the advantage and the lightning quick Edwin Ipape will ultimately make the difference with their London Broncos based players doing the rest.
PNG by 10
STATS
These two teams have never met in an international game, but Lebanon’s record against Pacific nations other than Australia and New Zealand is one win, one draw, and six losses, so the game is a tough one on paper, and surely they’ll receive a roaring atmosphere.
The Kumuls are notoriously difficult to beat in Port Moresby, winning 14 of their last 15 home internationals since 2009. That run included a deserved 28-10 shock upset of the Great Britain team on their 2019 tour. The last World Cup held in the southern hemisphere in 2017 saw the Kumuls host three group games against USA, Wales, and Ireland – which they won by a combined 128-12.
AI GREG NORMAN’S PIC-REDICTION
AI Greg Norman is always on hand to give his opinion on anything sport related, and we harness the power of AI and his imagination to come up with a pictorial prediction.
AI Greg respects former PNG great and PNG Hunters Grand Final hero Willie Minoga too much to get in the way or to dare tip against the Kumuls. We suggest you don’t argue against the Mack Truck from Wapenamanda.
AI PREDICTION
Since everyone else is using AI, why not us for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
We asked AI the following: “Predict the winner of this 2026 Rugby League World Cup based on historical H2H records, each team’s record at World Cup, each team’s International record from the last 10 years with a recency bias on the last three years, relative toughness of each team’s forward pack, and overall courage of the general population from each country.”
AI SAID:
Prediction: Papua New Guinea 26 – 16 Lebanon
I expect Lebanon to remain competitive through their outside backs, but PNG’s superior middle rotation, greater forward power and home-ground advantage in Port Moresby should prove decisive.
