International Rugby League boss Troy Grant has ruled out any changes to eligibility rules, adamant the current setup has helped put the global game in its best ever state.
One year out from the 2026 World Cup, international rugby league is riding on a high after more than 120,000 people turned out for Test matches globally last weekend.
Next year's tournament looms as the most anticipated in history, with the rise of Samoa and Tonga making them legitimate contenders and guaranteed crowd pullers.
But the growth of the Pacific has also come amid calls for change to eligibility rules, with the likes of Wayne Bennett leading discussions to stop players swapping between nations.
Players are currently free to change the country they represent each year, with the exception of switching between tier-one nations Australia, New Zealand and England.
That system allowed Payne Haas to become the latest to swap from Australia to Samoa this year, continuing a trend that began with Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo's moves to Tonga in 2017.
Bennett has been vocal in his push for players to only represent one country throughout their career, with former Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga also backing the call.
Others have pushed for players to only be able to represent one nation in each World Cup cycle, therefore allowing for change every four years.
But IRL chairman Grant confirmed the rules would not be altered, with the current system allowing for the maximum possible star power on the field.
"The way it is is obviously working. Why change something that is working?" Grant told AAP.
"I like the rules as they are.
"The responsibility we have as an organisation is to provide the best available eligible players to represent their nation.
"And they can be eligible by birth, by heritage through the grandparent rule or by citizenship. They're the rules. And if they qualify, they are eligible.
"You want the best players available who are eligible for that country, to put a showcase on for the fans."
The response comes after Samoa coach Ben Gardiner warned against any changes last weekend, stating it would be "archaic" and take the international game back to its less competitive years.
Samoa reached the last World Cup final in 2022, while Tonga beat out New Zealand last year to challenge Australia in the Pacific Cup decider.
Tonga must beat the Kiwis by 17 or more at Eden Park on Sunday to reach a second straight final, after being thumped 34-6 by Samoa in front of 44,682 people at Suncorp Stadium last week.
Regardless, Grant said suggestions Samoa and Tonga should be considered tier-one nations like Australia, New Zealand and England were off the mark.
"The tiering is not an on-field tiering performance, it's about off-field governance," he said.
"It is all about the domestic capabilities of their leagues. They are small countries, Tonga has a population smaller than Canberra.
"There is only so much capacity for them to do things."
International eligibility rules are separate to State of Origin, where the NRL is considering loosening restrictions on Australian-raised England and New Zealand representatives featuring.
Australia and New Zealand will kick off next year's World Cup in Sydney on October 15, before a final at Suncorp Stadium in mid-November.
The 10-team tournament will split sides between three groups in the preliminary stage.
Australia and New Zealand will be in a four-team Group A, with the top two to qualify for the semi-finals.
The teams across Groups B and C will play against the three sides in the opposing group, and effectively form one six-team ladder with the top two to progress to the final four.