2021 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP OVERVIEW
The dates, kick-off times and venues for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2021) were rescheduled due to Covid 19 and are now taking place from October in 2022. In the men’s tournament, sixteen teams will compete with all games be beamed to TV’s all over the world. Tickets have already gone on sale with organisers hoping that covid doesn’t have any further impact on the tournament.
For the latest 2021 Rugby League World Cup news click here
Host Nation – England
Number of Teams – 16 (Australia, England, New Zealand, France, Wales, Jamaica, Fiji, Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Cook Islands)
Dates: Between 23rd of October and 27th of November 2021
2021 World Cup Snapshot – The 2021 Rugby League World Cup which is now taking place in 2022 will be the 16th instalment of the oldest Rugby World Cup tournament on the planet.
In April 2015 the UAE Rugby League announced plans to bid for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Their plans went astray when the national UAE sporting body placed a ban on Rugby League in the country.
In October 2016 it was announced that England would be the 2021 Rugby League World Cup hosts after fending off a strong bid from the USA and Canada. Fixtures dates and times are all confirmed for 2022.
Sixteen teams will participate in the 2021 Tournament which is an increase of two teams from the last tournament. The participating nations will be split up into four groups of four.
UK TV Broadcaster BBC will cover all 31 games live. Other broadcasters are still to be confirmed but it’s expected that Sky NZ will show World Cup games in New Zealand. Fox Sports and Kayo will cover the games in Australia.
2021 Rugby League World Cup Finals Format
The finals system used in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup will be used in the 2021 tournament.
The teams that finish in the top 2 in each group would qualify for the quarter-finals. The winner of each quarter-final match would then qualify for the semi-finals.
The winner of both semi-finals will play each other a week later in the World Cup Final.
2021 Rugby League World Cup Venues
The Rugby Football League in conjunction with the 2021 Rugby League World Cup organisers invited councils across the country to bid for the hosting of matches during the tournament. A total of eighteen stadiums have been confirmed. (Old Trafford Manchester, Emirates Stadium London, Anfield Liverpool, St James Park Newcastle, Elland Road Leeds, Riverside Stadium Middlesbrough, Bramall Lane Sheffield, Ricoh Arena Coventry, KCOM Stadium Hull, University of Bolton Stadium, Kirklees Stadium Huddersfield, Headingley Stadium Leeds, Totally Wicked Stadium St Helens, Keepmoat Stadium Doncaster, Halliwell Jones Stadium Warrington, Leigh Sports Village).
2021 Rugby League World Cup Men’s Draw
Group A
• England
• Samoa
• France
• Greece
Group B
• Australia
• Fiji
• Scotland
• Italy
Group C
• New Zealand
• Lebanon
• Jamaica
• Ireland
Group D
• Tonga
• PNG
• Wales
• Cook Islands
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup Fixtures, Dates and kick-off Times and Results
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup – Round 1
Saturday 15th October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group A – Round 1 England 60 vs Samoa 6, St James Park Stadium, Newcastle. Crowd: 43,119. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 15th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group B – Round 1 Australia 42 vs Fiji 8, Headingley Stadium, Leeds, Crowd: 13,666. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 16th October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group B – Round 1 Scotland 4 vs Italy 28, Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle, Crowd: 6206. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 16th October 2022 Kick-Off 5.00pm (BST) Group C – Round 1 Jamaica 2 vs Ireland 48, Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds, Crowd: 6320. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 16th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group C – Round 1 New Zealand 34 vs Lebanon 12, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, Crowd: 5453. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Monday 17th October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group A – Round 1 France 34 vs Greece 12, Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster, Crowd: 4182. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Tuesday 18th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 1 Tonga 24 vs Papua New Guinea 18, Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens, Crowd: 10,409. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Wednesday 19th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 1 Wales 12 vs Cook Islands 18, Leigh Sports Village Stadium, Leigh, Crowd: 6188. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup – Round 2
Friday 21st October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group B – Round 2 Australia 84 vs Scotland 0, Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry. Crowd: 10,276. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 22nd October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group B – Round 2 Fiji 60 vs Italy 4, Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle, Crowd: 3675. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 22nd October 2022 Kick-Off 5pm (BST) Group A – Round 2 England 42 vs France 18, University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton. Crowd: 34,638. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 22nd October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group C – Round 2 New Zealand 68 vs Jamaica 6, MKM Stadium, Hull. Crowd: 6829. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 23rd October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group C – Round 2 Lebanon 32 vs Ireland 14, Leigh Sports Village, Leigh. Crowd: 6057. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 23rd October 2022 Kick-Off 5pm (BST) Group A – Round 2 Samoa 72 vs Greece 4, Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster. Crowd: 4412. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Monday 24th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 2 Tonga 32 vs Wales 6, Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens. Crowd: 7752. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Tuesday 25th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 2 Papua New Guinea 32 vs Cook Islands 16, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington. Crowd: 6273. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup – Round 3
Friday 28th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group C – Round 3 New Zealand 48 vs Ireland 10, Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Crowd: 14,044. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 29th October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group A – Round 3 England 94 vs Greece 4, Bramall Lane Stadium, Sheffield. Crowd: 18,760. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 29th October 2022 Kick-Off 5pm (BST) Group B – Round 3 Fiji 30 vs Scotland 14, Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle. Crowd: 6736. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 29th October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group B – Round 3 Australia 66 vs Italy 6, Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens. Crowd: 5586. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 30th October 2022 Kick-Off 12pm (BST) Group C – Round 3 Lebanon 74 vs Jamaica 12, Leigh Sports Village, Leigh. Crowd: 5006. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 30th October 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 3 Tonga 92 vs Cook Islands 10, Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Crowd: 8342. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 30th October 2022 Kick-Off 5pm (BST) Group A – Round 3 Samoa 62 vs France 4, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington. Crowd: 6756. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Monday 31st October 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Group D – Round 3 Papua New Guinea 36 vs Wales 0, Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster. Crowd: 6968. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup – Quarter-Finals
Friday 4th November 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Quarter-Final 1 – Australia 48 vs Lebanon 4, The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield. Crowd: 8206. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 5th November 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Quarter-Final 2 – England 46 vs Papua New Guinea 6, DW Stadium, Wigan. Crowd: 23,179. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 5th November 2022 Kick-Off 7.30pm (BST) Quarter-Final 3 – New Zealand 24 vs Fiji 18, MKM Stadium, Hull. Crowd: 7080. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Sunday 6th November 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Quarter-Final 4 – Tonga 18 vs Samoa 20, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington. Crowd: 12,674. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup – Semi-Finals
Friday 11th November 2022 Kick-Off 7.45pm (BST) Semi-Final 1 – Australia 16 vs New Zealand 14, Elland Road Stadium, Leeds. Crowd: 28,113. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
Saturday 12th November 2022 Kick-Off 2.30pm (BST) Semi-Final 2 – England 26 vs Samoa 27, Emirates Stadium, London. Crowd: 42,579. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 (2022) Rugby League World Cup Final
Saturday 19th November 2022 Kick-Off 4pm (BST) World Cup Final – Australia 30 vs Samoa 10, Old Trafford, Manchester. Crowd: 67,502. For fixture and team details click here. For match report click here.
2021 Rugby League World Cup Champions: Australia
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2021 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers
On the 9th of May 2018 the Rugby League International Federation released the details of the qualifying process for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Eight Nations, who were all quarter-finalists in the 2017 tournament, Australia, New Zealand, England, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and Lebanon have automatically qualified.
The remaining eight places are up for grabs via qualifiers from four regions around the world. Six nations from Europe and one nation from the Americas. The last place in the World Cup will be determined via a “World Play Off”. This will involve the America’s Runner up, Asia Pacific highest ranked and Middle East/Africa highest ranked.
The qualifiers will commence in June 2018 and conclude in November 2019.
European Qualifiers (6 Nations)
EUROS – October / November 2018
The first two European Nations to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup was determined in October / November 2018 via the European Championship. The top two nations in the group qualified while the bottom two nations received a 2nd chance in the European Play-Offs.
France became the ninth nation to qualify for the Rugby League World Cup after winning all their European Cup fixtures and finishing top of the championship.
Wales left it to the last round of the European Championship to become the 10th team to qualify for the Rugby League World Cup after a win over Ireland. Wales finished in 2nd position on the European Championship Leaderboard.
Scotland and Ireland will now get a second chance to qualify when they enter the European Play-Offs scheduled for Oct/Nov 2019.
European Championship Fixtures / Results
Round 1
France 54 v Wales 18, Carcassone, 27th October 2018
Ireland 36 v Scotland 10, Santry, 27th October 2018
Round 2
Scotland 12 v Wales 50, Galashiels, 2nd November 2018
Ireland 10 v France 24, Santry, 3rd November 2018
Round 3
France 28 v Scotland 10, Carcassone 10th November 2018
Wales 40 v Ireland 8, Wrexham, 11th November 2018
GROUP B QUALIFIERS – October 2018
The top two European Nations in Group B will progress through to the European Play Offs to be held in 2019. The last placed team will bow out of the World Cup qualifiers. Russia, Serbia and Spain have been allocated to Group B.
European Championship B Fixtures / Results
Spain 32 v Russia 24, Valencia, 6 October 2018
Russia 36 v Serbia 18, Moscow, 13 October 2018
Serbia 24 v Spain 20, Belgrade, 20 October 2018
All teams finished on 2 points with Russia and Spain originally making it through to the European Play-Offs based on for and against. in 2019 Russia withdrew from the 2nd round of European Qualifiers and was replaced by Serbia.
GROUP C QUALIFIERS North and South – June to September 2018
The Group C Qualification was broken up into North and South. Group C North saw Czech Republic, Germany and Norway take each other on in a round robin. Group C South saw Greece, Malta and Ukraine battle it out. The top finishing Teams in both North and South then played each other with the winner progressing through to the European Play Offs to be held in 2019. The other teams will bow out of the World Cup qualifiers.
European Championship C – North Fixtures / Results
Czech Republic 20 v Norway 12, Vrchlabi, 16 June 2018
Germany 24 v Czech Republic 4, Osnabrück, 25 August
Norway 40 v Germany 22, Porsgrunn, 15 September 2018
European Championship C – South Fixtures / Results
Malta 22 v Ukraine 34, Marsa, 30 June 2018
Ukraine 26 v Greece 28, Kharkov, 8 September 2018
Greece 60 v Malta 4, Athens, 15 September 2018
European Championship C Final
Greece 56 v Norway 26, London, 18 May 2019
Greece progressed to the next stage of the Rugby League World Cup European Qualifiers.
EUROPEAN PLAY OFFS – October / November 2019
Italy will be joined by the bottom two teams from the EUROS. The top two teams from Group B and the winner of Group C will form the other Group. Split into two groups teams will play each other in a round-robin. Based on their final table standings the top two teams in each group will progress through to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
European Qualifiers A – Fixtures / Results
Spain 8 v Ireland 42, Valencia 26th Oct 2019
Italy 34 v Spain, Kharkov, 2nd Nov 2019
Ireland 25 v Italy 4, Dublin, 9th Nov 2019
European Qualifiers B – Fixtures / Results
Scotland 86 v Serbia 0, Glasgow, 26th Oct 2019
Greece 24 v Scotland 42, London, 1st Nov 2019
Serbia 6 v Greece 82, Belgrade, 9th Nov 2019
Greece were the 15th nations to qualify for the Rugby League World Cup. This will be the first time Greece has ever played in a Rugby League World Cup. The Greek’s inclusion highlights the growing footprint of Rugby League around the World.
Americas Qualifiers – October / November 2018
Four teams Canada, Chile, Jamaica and the United States took part in the Americas leg of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers. In what was a major upset Jamaica defeated the USA 16 – 10 to become the 11th team to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. This will be the first time ever Jamaica will participate in a Rugby League World Cup. The United States who was the runner up will receive a 2nd chance progressing through to the World Play-Offs.
Game 1 – United States 64 v Chile 0, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 13th November 2018
Game 2 – Canada 8 v Jamaica 38, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 13th November 2018
Winner Game 1 (United States) 10 v Winner Game 2 (Jamaica) 16, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 17th November 2018
Loser Game 1 (Chile) 12 v Loser Game 2 (Canada) 62, University of North Florida, Jacksonville 17th November 2018
Picture: Jamaica Celebrate after winning the Americas Championship, qualifying for the first time and also becoming the 11th team to Qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
World Play Off – October / November 2019
This is the last and final 2021 Rugby League World Cup place up for grabs. The runner up from the Americas which is now confirmed as the United States, Highest Ranked Team in the Asia Pacific (Cook Islands) that thus far hasn’t qualified and the highest-ranked Middle East/African nation (South Africa) will all take part in the playoff with the top placed team progressing through to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
In June 2019 South Africa and Cook Islands played an elimination match in Sydney with the winner progressing to the final stage of the qualifiers to take on the USA for the final place in the Rugby League World Cup. The Cook Islands ran out 66 – 6 winners and took on the USA in Jacksonville Florida on the 16th of November. 2019.
With a hardened team of professional players, Cook Islands defeated the USA Hawks 38 – 16 and secured last place in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
