ENGLAND could leapfrog New Zealand into second place in the IRL World Rankings if they win the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.
The latest instalment of the IRL World Rankings have been released ahead of the headline event of the first Ashes series since 2003 between England and Australia.
Those two nations who will play at Wembley on October 25, Everton Stadium on November 1 and Headingley Stadium on November 8.
The Kangaroos remain number one in the Men’s IRL World Rankings, along with the Jillaroos, who defeated England 90-4 in Las Vegas on March 1, and England Wheelchair’s side.
However, with adjustments for the COVID period in which little international rugby league was played in the Southern Hemisphere having now expired, the margin between the second-placed Kiwis and third-placed England team is narrowing.
With the Kiwis failing to make the final of last year’s Pacific Cup, an Ashes series win could propel England into second spot ahead of the 2026 IRL Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
A 3-0 series win, with a big margin in each match, may even lift England to the number one ranking.
Whilst the Kangaroos will not take part in the 2025 Pacific Championships, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga will contest the Pacific Cup as the Cook Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea play for the Pacific Bowl.
Cook Islands will also meet South Africa in Australia and France will host Jamaica in World Cup qualifiers, with the winners advancing to the World Cup in 2026.
The final Women’s World Cup berth will be determined at the inaugural IRL Women’s Rugby League World Series in Canada, with the Ravens playing Fiji and Ireland meeting Nigeria in a double-header at Terry Fox Stadium, Brampton on October 21.
The winners will meet in a play-off for the eighth place at RLWC2026 on October 26.
After winning qualifying for the World Cup and winning last year’s Women’s Pacific Cup promotion-relegation match against the PNG Orchids, Fetu Samoa will join Australia and New Zealand in this year’s tournament.
Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and Tonga will also play in the Women’s Pacific Bowl.
World champions England will tour Australia for the first time in six years, facing the fourth ranked Wheelaroos in a two-match Ashes series in October and November.
Other fixtures announced for later this year include Scotland Women’s international debut on August 3 against Wales, who host England a week later. Scotland also face Jamaica later in the year.
Jamaica and the United States have announced a men’s and women’s double-header, as have Ghana and Nigeria.
The following Men’s European Championships fixtures have also been announced:
Euro B
Malta v Netherlands
Netherlands v Serbia
Serbia v Malta
Euro C
Italy v Ukraine
Ukraine v Greece
Italy v Greece
Euro D
Czechia v Norway
Czechia v Germany
Germany v Norway