The University of Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (UPNG RFL) launched its 2026 season on Saturday evening, with 29 teams registered across the men’s and women’s divisions and competition matches beginning this week.
UPNG RFL President Gagma Olta said 24 men’s teams and five women’s teams had registered for this year’s competition.
The tournament, he said, remains strictly reserved for enrolled students and aims to promote greater participation and representation of women in rugby league.
Olta said the league was committed to providing equal opportunities for all students to develop their sporting talents while maintaining the integrity of the university-run competition through strict eligibility checks.
Major sponsors have backed the season’s growth.
Lucky BETT 777’s Jeffery Mol, known as “Mangi Last Percy”, pledged K30,000 toward the competition.
Northern Masta Mak Construction Limited also donated K5,000 in cash to support operations and player welfare.
Enforcement of the student-only rule is strict. Organizers confirmed non-students will not be permitted to play.
“It is a school organized competition,” Olta stated.
To ensure compliance, the league will verify all players before matches.
“We have all the details of all the sister tertiary institutions, that includes their individual details plus their ID photos which we’ll check before they take the field,” he said.
Mr. Olta said the competition also seeks to strengthen women’s participation in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by men.
“Rugby remains a culture within our society over the years, and it has been dominated by male,” he said.
“Under this leadership we want equality in leadership as well as sports. This platform is for all students to showcase their skills.”
With men’s teams kicking off today and women’s fixtures to follow, the 2026 season will run throughout the semester, providing a platform for students to develop their skills and compete at a high level.