The 2026 PNGNRL season, known for sponsorship reasons as the 2026 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup, was the 36th season of the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League (PNGNRL) competition, the premier domestic rugby league competition in Papua New Guinea. Twelve clubs contested the season, which ran from 12 April to 13 September 2026.
The East New Britain Agmark Gurias won the premiership, defeating the PRK Mendi Muruks 26–14 in the grand final at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on 13 September 2026. It was the Gurias' seventh title and their first since 2015, ending an 11-year premiership drought. The Muruks, who had finished the regular season as minor premiers for the second successive year, lost a second consecutive grand final.
The season was the first for the Kandes Rugby League Club, a new franchise based in Madang Province, which replaced the Kimbe Cutters. The Kandes led the competition ladder for much of the season and reached the preliminary final in their debut year.
Background The 2026 season was launched at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby on 2 April 2026, in the presence of the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Sports, Kinoka Feo, and representatives of the twelve franchises.
PNGNRL Competition chairman Adrian Chow described the competition as the largest sporting competition in Papua New Guinea and said the season marked the fourth year of the competition's five-year strategic plan. Preparations included annual club audits covering governance, financial stability, venues and facilities, along with capacity-building programmes for franchise managers, coaches, referees, team and ground managers and match-day doctors. Chow also announced the introduction of under-19 female and under-17 male competitions, alongside the under-19 male competition launched in 2025.
On 8 April 2026, Digicel PNG confirmed the continuation of its naming-rights co-sponsorship of the competition for a further three years (2026–2028), alongside co-sponsor ExxonMobil. The PNGNRL Competition noted that the competition had grown from eight to twelve clubs since the two companies became naming-rights sponsors. Other sponsors and partners for the season included Kumul Mineral Holdings, Kumul Petroleum, Santos, PacificAus Sports, the WR Carpenter Group and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Team changes The Kandes Rugby League Club, based in Madang, was admitted to the competition in October 2025 after unsuccessful bids in 2023 and 2024, taking the place of the Kimbe Cutters, who did not meet franchise compliance requirements. The club draws players from across the Momase Region, including Madang, Morobe, East Sepik and West Sepik. Sepik Pride and Simbu Warriors also submitted bids for 2026 entry but were unsuccessful.
The franchise is referred to in some reports as the Morobe Kandes; announcing its admission at the season launch, chairman Adrian Chow described it as "the Morobe Kandes, based in Madang Province". Franchise manager Stephen Clay Koimi had earlier described the club's entry as a victory for perseverance and regional representation.
Teams Team Home venue City/area Province Coach Gas Resource Central Dabaris Santos National Football Stadium / Sir John Guise Stadium Port Moresby Central ENB Agmark Gurias Queen Elizabeth Park Rabaul East New Britain Wartovo Puara Jr NPL Enga Mioks Aipus Oval Wabag Enga Bintangor Goroka Lahanis National Sports Institute Goroka Eastern Highlands Michael Moses PRK Gulf Isou Santos National Football Stadium Port Moresby Gulf Kroton Hela Wigmen Santos National Football Stadium / Sir John Guise Stadium Port Moresby Hela Andrew Andiki Kandes Rugby League Club Ron Albert Oval Madang Madang Stanley Tepend Lae Snax Tigers Lae Rugby League Ground Lae Morobe PRK Mendi Muruks Lae Rugby League Ground Lae (relocated from Mendi) Southern Highlands Roderick Puname Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles John Ambane Oval Minj (relocated from Mount Hagen) Western Highlands Henry Wan Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers Santos National Football Stadium / Sir John Guise Stadium Port Moresby National Capital District Asila Waghi Tumbe John Ambane Oval Minj Jiwaka Home venues are those at which each club hosted matches during the season.
Events The season opened on 12 April 2026 with the Kandes meeting the ENB Agmark Gurias. The fixture had originally been scheduled for Ron Albert Oval in Madang but was relocated to the Lae Rugby League Ground after storm damage rendered the Madang venue unfit for play.
Crowd disturbances Two matches during the season were affected by crowd trouble. The Round 14 fixture between the Muruks and Asila Waghi Tumbe at John Ambane Oval, Minj, on 18 July, won 22–16 by the Muruks after they had trailed 16–6 at half-time, was marred by bottles being thrown onto the field and perimeter fencing being breached.
The Round 17 match between the Lae Snax Tigers and the Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles at Lae Rugby League Ground was abandoned in the 50th minute, with the Tigers leading 12–6 and 30 minutes remaining, after crowd disturbances raised safety concerns for players, match officials and team personnel. Following a review, the PNGNRL Competition awarded one competition point to each club, and moved the Round 18 fixture between the Tigers and the Gas Resource Central Dabaris from Lae to Port Moresby; no matches were played in Lae in the final round. Chief operating officer Tony Archer said the decision had not been taken lightly, noting that Lae Rugby League had hosted matches for many years and had successfully staged the Super Round in Round 16, and that the competition would work with the venue towards its return in 2027. The point apiece is reflected in the final ladder, and the match is recorded in the official results as a scoreless draw, the 12–6 scoreline standing at the time of the abandonment being expunged.
Regular season The regular season ran over 18 rounds from 12 April to 16 August, with matches usually played on Sundays and a break on the weekend of 28 June. Four rounds were given themed designations in the season draw. Round 3 was staged as the "Men in League Round" and the first "Super Round", with three of its six matches played at the National Sports Institute in Goroka; Round 9 was the "Amazing Round", with all six matches at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby; Round 16 was the second "Super Round", with three matches at the Lae Rugby League Ground; and Round 17 was the "Women in League Round".
The Kandes topped the ladder after nine rounds following a 22–14 win over the Muruks during the "Amazing Round" at the Santos National Football Stadium. The lead changed hands repeatedly in the closing rounds, with the Muruks ultimately securing the minor premiership on points differential after both they and the Kandes finished on 26 points.
The reigning premiers, the Lae Snax Tigers, failed to qualify for the finals.
Results All results are from the competition's official draw. Winning teams are shown in bold.
Round 1 Date Home Score Away Venue 12 April 2026 Gas Resource Central Dabaris 34 – 18 Asila Waghi Tumbe Santos National Football Stadium 12 April 2026 PRK Gulf Isou 20 – 16 PRK Mendi Muruks Santos National Football Stadium 12 April 2026 NPL Enga Mioks 10 – 22 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers National Sports Institute, Goroka 12 April 2026 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 30 – 22 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles National Sports Institute, Goroka 12 April 2026 Kandes RLC 26 – 16 ENB Agmark Gurias Lae Rugby League Ground 12 April 2026 Kroton Hela Wigmen 28 – 18 Lae Snax Tigers Santos National Football Stadium Source:
Round 2 Date Home Score Away Venue 18 April 2026 Asila Waghi Tumbe 26 – 22 NPL Enga Mioks John Ambane Oval, Minj 18 April 2026 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers 18 – 12 PRK Gulf Isou Santos National Football Stadium 18 April 2026 ENB Agmark Gurias 30 – 18 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Queen Elizabeth Park, Rabaul 18 April 2026 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles 22 – 23 Kroton Hela Wigmen John Ambane Oval, Minj 19 April 2026 Kandes RLC 16 – 30 Gas Resource Central Dabaris Ron Albert Oval, Madang 19 April 2026 PRK Mendi Muruks 18 – 10 Lae Snax Tigers Lae Rugby League Ground Source:
Round 3 Round 3 was staged as the "Men in League Round" and the first "Super Round".
Date Home Score Away Venue 25 April 2026 ENB Agmark Gurias 22 – 16 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles Queen Elizabeth Park, Rabaul 26 April 2026 PRK Mendi Muruks 22 – 20 Asila Waghi Tumbe National Sports Institute, Goroka 26 April 2026 Lae Snax Tigers 20 – 20 Kandes RLC National Sports Institute, Goroka 26 April 2026 Gas Resource Central Dabaris 10 – 24 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby 26 April 2026 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 26 – 20 PRK Gulf Isou National Sports Institute, Goroka 26 April 2026 Kroton Hela Wigmen 6 – 9 NPL Enga Mioks Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby Source:
Round 4 Date Home Score Away Venue 2 May 2026 Gas Resource Central Dabaris 38 – 20 ENB Agmark Gurias Santos National Football Stadium 2 May 2026 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles 16 – 18 Kandes RLC John Ambane Oval, Minj 2 May 2026 PRK Gulf Isou 12 – 20 Kroton Hela Wigmen Santos National Football Stadium 2 May 2026 Asila Waghi Tumbe 20 – 26 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers John Ambane Oval, Minj 3 May 2026 NPL Enga Mioks 6 – 30 PRK Mendi Muruks Aipus Oval, Wabag 3 May 2026 Lae Snax Tigers 14 – 14 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Lae Rugby League Ground Source:
Round 5 Date Home Score Away Venue 9 May 2026 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles 18 – 16 Gas Resource Central Dabaris John Ambane Oval, Minj 9 May 2026 ENB Agmark Gurias 28 – 18 Lae Snax Tigers Queen Elizabeth Park, Rabaul 9 May 2026 Kandes RLC 26 – 12 PRK Gulf Isou Ron Albert Oval, Madang 10 May 2026 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers 10 – 12 PRK Mendi Muruks Santos National Football Stadium 10 May 2026 NPL Enga Mioks 36 – 12 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Aipus Oval, Wabag 10 May 2026 Kroton Hela Wigmen 30 – 8 Asila Waghi Tumbe Santos National Football Stadium Source:
Round 6 Date Home Score Away Venue 16 May 2026 PRK Gulf Isou 26 – 38 ENB Agmark Gurias Santos National Football Stadium 16 May 2026 Kandes RLC 18 – 8 NPL Enga Mioks Ron Albert Oval, Madang 16 May 2026 Kroton Hela Wigmen 10 – 12 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers Santos National Football Stadium 17 May 2026 PRK Mendi Muruks 26 – 12 Gas Resource Central Dabaris Lae Rugby League Ground 17 May 2026 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 24 – 26 Asila Waghi Tumbe National Sports Institute, Goroka 17 May 2026 Lae Snax Tigers 10 – 24 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles Lae Rugby League Ground Source:
Round 7 Date Home Score Away Venue 23 May 2026 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles 30 – 14 PRK Gulf Isou John Ambane Oval, Minj 23 May 2026 ENB Agmark Gurias 24 – 24 NPL Enga Mioks Queen Elizabeth Park, Rabaul 23 May 2026 Asila Waghi Tumbe 20 – 32 Kandes RLC John Ambane Oval, Minj 24 May 2026 Gas Resource Central Dabaris 18 – 20 Lae Snax Tigers Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby 24 May 2026 PRK Mendi Muruks 12 – 24 Kroton Hela Wigmen Lae Rugby League Ground 24 May 2026 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers 12 – 18 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby Source:
Round 8 Date Home Score Away Venue 30 May 2026 Asila Waghi Tumbe 18 – 22 PRK Gulf Isou John Ambane Oval, Minj 31 May 2026 Lae Snax Tigers 24 – 16 Moni Plus NCDC POM Vipers Lae Rugby League Ground 31 May 2026 NPL Enga Mioks 13 – 18 Gas Resource Central Dabaris Aipus Oval, Wabag 31 May 2026 Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 14 – 14 Kandes RLC National Sports Institute, Goroka 31 May 2026 Kroton Hela Wigmen 24 – 34 ENB Agmark Gurias Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby 31 May 2026 PRK Mendi Muruks 30 – 10 Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles Lae Rugby League Ground Source:
Round 9 Round 9 was the "Amazing Round", with all six matches at one venue.