Elite international sport is set to return to Adelaide this month, as Australia’s national wheelchair rugby team – the Australian Steelers – prepare to face some of the world’s best athletes at the 2026 Santos Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge.
The Australian Steelers will go head-to-head with powerhouse nations: Great Britain, the USA, Denmark, Germany and Brazil. The Australian Steelers are hungrier than ever for gold, after they took home silver in a nail-biting final in the event’s inaugural year.
Wheelchair rugby is an energetic, fast paced and high collision spectator sport, described as a mixture of basketball, gridiron and rugby all in one–also sometimes affectionately referred to as ‘murderball’. The sport includes mixed-gender teams of both male and female athletes on the same team.
This world-class competition will have attendees on the edge of their seats as they watch the Steelers showcasing their trademark physicality, tactical precision and electric energy. This event plays a key role in the Steelers’ 2026 event calendar, providing a high quality tournament to build momentum ahead of the World Championships in Brazil later this year, where they aim to defend their World Championship title.
The World Challenge will run from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 April 2026, at the State Basketball Centre, Wayville in Adelaide, with matches broadcasted live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel across the four days of play.
Chris Nay, CEO of Wheelchair Rugby Australia said that 2026 World Challenge represents the highest calibre of wheelchair rugby competition staged in Australia, outside of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
“Having premier teams such as the USA and Great Britain competing here in Adelaide for the first time gives our Australian Steelers the chance to test themselves against the best, and hopefully we will see the Australian public right behind the Steelers as they progress through the competition.”
Australian Steelers Captain, Chris Bond expressed his enthusiasm for this year's world challenge, after being re-elected as their team captain for the fourth year.
“The Steelers are my greatest passion; I have been fortunate to have led the team through the last four years with some big highs and some tough lows along the way. The faith in my team to elect me as Captain again into this year’s World Championships year is truly humbling and I will continue to commit myself to the team.”
The event also runs parallel to the Australian National Championship, where domestic-based teams will compete under State banners across two divisions. Fans will be delighted to see the return of the exciting junior division on Saturday and Sunday, marking one year since the program launched in Australia.
Proving to be a true festival of para-sport, the event will welcome the national Kenyan team for their first trip to Australia to compete in the National Championship’s Division 2 competition, celebrating a milestone moment for the growth and development of international wheelchair rugby.
Team Great Britain says their athletes are ready to embrace the challenge.
“Our athletes are ready for this challenge,” said Jason Brisbane, CEO of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby.
“There’s nothing our players enjoy more than testing themselves against the strongest nations in the sport.
“Facing top opposition at the World Challenge in Adelaide is exactly the kind of opportunity that brings out the best in us. The intensity, the physicality, the level of competition; that’s what drives our team. We’re excited to go head‑to‑head with the world’s best and embrace everything this event brings.”
Fans can get involved by heading down to the State Basketball Centre in Wayville to fill the stands with green and gold to cheer on our Aussie Steelers. Tickets are on sale now, available at www.wheelchairrugby.com.au/tickets
To find out more about Wheelchair Rugby Australia, or get involved, check out their information here.
Blog writtten by Wheelchair Rugby Australia. All images are courtesy of Wheelchair Rugby Australia and Joep Buijs Photography.