Tonga defeats Samoa 20-18 in thrilling match at CommBank Stadium

Tonga secured a narrow 20-18 victory against Samoa on November 1, 2026, at CommBank Stadium. The match, praised as one of the greatest rugby league experiences, witnessed 98% stadium capacity. Addin Fonua-Blake scored the decisive try in the final minutes, which captivated a large television audience—breaking records for non-Kangaroos matches. Rugby officials, including former NRL player Alex McKinnion, are advocating for future matches between the teams to take place overseas, particularly in Hawaii and other locations in the U.S., to leverage the growing international interest.

• 1:15 AMZero Tackle NRL — Multiple NRL figures hope to see Tonga-Samoa play overseas