World Cup 20xx. Will it ever happen?

[JohnM]

Now that full details of the locations, fixtures, ticket prices, travel packages etc for the 2026 World Cup have been published to great acclaim in the media, is now the time to ask which forum members will be going?

Edited April 4 by JohnM

[moorside roughyed]

Nope.

[OriginalMrC]

No chance in a million years. Think it will very much be a local world cup for local people 

[Gomersall]

Has there been any actual confirmation of when and where other than the vague Southern Hemisphere in 2026?

[Whippet13]

Sarcasm aside.....

I very likely will go, probably for 3.5 weeks so get to do the last 4 rounds running in to the final. Have got a decent idea what it will cost, and also when it will be held based on previous events this size down under (my guess is Aus/NZ/PNG like last time, despite the noise about Fiji,Tonga,Samoa). Flights won't go on sale until late next year so plenty of time to save up for it and build my own independent trip. Really no need for me to know any more when we are still 2.5 years out, speaking personally I don't make decisions that far out.

More immediate interest to me is the 2025 Ashes, most definitely doing that as it seems to have been on my bucket list for ever. Provided venues are announced by the end of this year I'll be able to plan that very easily. Obvious where they will be held, just need the order and dates, 2.5 weeks should cover it.

The idea of a long haul tour package of any sort fills me with dread, just not my cup of tea at all.

[sam4731]

Call me pessimistic but I don't think it'll happen.

[Whippet13]

3 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Has there been any actual confirmation of when and where other than the vague Southern Hemisphere in 2026?

Nope, not a peep, they havent announced what is happening in 2024 yet so 2026 is definitely in the long grass.

[Whippet13]

5 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Call me pessimistic but I don't think it'll happen.

I'm sure It'll happen, although there is a more than fair chance the NRL will make a mess of it. Not that we can overly criticise them for that based on how we organised and ran the 2022 event which, Covid impact caveats allowing, was poor.

[JohnM]

23 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Has there been any actual confirmation of when and where other than the vague Southern Hemisphere in 2026?

No. 

[Hopie]

I went in 2008 and 2017, and I was hoping to go to France for a few weeks if it happened in 2025. Really hoping there are more games in New Zealand this time, the semi final there vs Tonga was an amazing event to witness, and maybe we will have a new coach by then 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Nah, I don't reckon I'll have the funds to get over to the Americas for any games, though I would love to go to the Azteca, one of the iconic stadiums of the world. Of course I'd probably not get any tickets anyway, I mean they go basically within seconds of going on sale don't they? 

[BristolDevonCharlie]

2 hours ago, sam4731 said:

Call me pessimistic but I don't think it'll happen.

It will. NRL want it to, so it will. 

[gogledd]

2 hours ago, Hopie said:

I went in 2008 and 2017, and I was hoping to go to France for a few weeks if it happened in 2025. Really hoping there are more games in New Zealand this time, the semi final there vs Tonga was an amazing event to witness, and maybe we will have a new coach by then 

I volunteered in 2013 and travelled independently in 2017 to follow Wales in PNG, Townsville and Perth - then on to Wellington, and Brisbane - 7 weeks. I'd planned ahead for France and was one of the reasons I bought a motorhome! Now those plans are scuppered I'm still hoping to go to RLWC 2026 - and sincerely hope the International game gets its act together pretty soon.

[gogledd]

3 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

I'm sure It'll happen, although there is a more than fair chance the NRL will make a mess of it. Not that we can overly criticise them for that based on how we organised and ran the 2022 event which, Covid impact caveats allowing, was poor.

I was involved in the Wheelchair competition and have to say that the RLWC was a fantastic experience for the teams involved. I was Team Manager for Wales and we felt totally included in the World Cup... our players were payed pro rata and had proper facilities and stadia.... and the TV coverage meant the game got thousands of people watching some amazing athletes. And although Wales got knocked out in the semi-finals, I went to watch the final in Manchester and that was one of the best live rugby league experiences I can remember.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

37 minutes ago, gogledd said:

I volunteered in 2013 and travelled independently in 2017 to follow Wales in PNG, Townsville and Perth - then on to Wellington, and Brisbane - 7 weeks. I'd planned ahead for France and was one of the reasons I bought a motorhome! Now those plans are scuppered I'm still hoping to go to RLWC 2026 - and sincerely hope the International game gets its act together pretty soon.

I'd love to hear about your experience of PNG. The games in Port Moresby really were a highlight of that world cup, the atmosphere came across as absolutely electric on tv and a real carnival atmosphere. It really made me want to see a game there at least once in my life. 

[Leigh-On-Kiwi]

I will be, but I won't have to travel too far 

[Leigh-On-Kiwi]

19 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I'd love to hear about your experience of PNG. The games in Port Moresby really were a highlight of that world cup, the atmosphere came across as absolutely electric on tv and a real carnival atmosphere. It really made me want to see a game there at least once in my life. 

I've heard from people who were supposed to attend the GB tour, that they had been warned about leaving the complex because of the high crime rates and if you were to do so, not to do it without an armed guard... I don't think it warrants watching a game of league.

[Anita Bath]

Reminds me of Alt Park, Huyton. I always wrote letters to loved ones and left them on the mantlepiece in case I didnt make it back.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

7 hours ago, Leigh-On-Kiwi said:

I've heard from people who were supposed to attend the GB tour, that they had been warned about leaving the complex because of the high crime rates and if you were to do so, not to do it without an armed guard... I don't think it warrants watching a game of league.

I've heard this kind of thing, I know the British government do actually advise against all travel to PNG but the games still looked fantastic there!

[Harry Stottle]

13 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

The idea of a long haul tour package of any sort fills me with dread, just not my cup of tea at all.

Your opinion and I appreciate that, but I have been on two such trips down under and can only speak very highly of them. We went down under in '19 where we obviously met others from some other organised tours who where literally dumped in hotels, transported to the games with provided match tickets but other than that left to sort out their own 'enjoyment'.

We went with Catalan Sports Tours run by Australian David Foti and the itinerary he provided was excellent, many trips were included in the tour price far more days organised than 'free days' the value for money was incredible other than sorting it out yourself and we would most probably not have seen or even thought about going to a good few of the things we experienced.

Yes it was my intention to do the '25 tour and also take in some of the England Cricket Ashes games, but with the usual lack of organisation - dates and venues - from the RL authorities that is an unknown.

And there is also another reason while I will be waiting before booking - I am very curios as to what season '25 will bring with the 'Armpit and Below' tackle rule we are bringing in, we are already somewhat different to the rules they play to down under and this will just take us further away, I doubt International rules will accomodate the RFL's mantra, so I will bide my time in deciding  but if I do go it will most definitely be with CST.

As for the OP and the '26 WC, the itinerary of dates and venues is very important to me, the last WC in my opinion was ridiculous with the amount of travelling involved to attend the England games, from memory Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Auckland, Brisbane something like that but happy to be corrected, if it is similar I will not be going to that.

[Eddie]

I’ve heard it’s going to be a two team World Cup, Australia v NZ in a one off game in Sydney. 

[JohnM]

I'd understood that the deadline for bids to hold the World Cup in the SH had been extended to the end of March 2024. Anyone know if that is correct and if any bids were submitted?

[fighting irish]

51 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Your opinion and I appreciate that, but I have been on two such trips down under and can only speak very highly of them. We went down under in '19 where we obviously met others from some other organised tours who where literally dumped in hotels, transported to the games with provided match tickets but other than that left to sort out their own 'enjoyment'.

We went with Catalan Sports Tours run by Australian David Foti and the itinerary he provided was excellent, many trips were included in the tour price far more days organised than 'free days' the value for money was incredible other than sorting it out yourself and we would most probably not have seen or even thought about going to a good few of the things we experienced.

Yes it was my intention to do the '25 tour and also take in some of the England Cricket Ashes games, but with the usual lack of organisation - dates and venues - from the RL authorities that is an unknown.

And there is also another reason while I will be waiting before booking - I am very curios as to what season '25 will bring with the 'Armpit and Below' tackle rule we are bringing in, we are already somewhat different to the rules they play to down under and this will just take us further away, I doubt International rules will accomodate the RFL's mantra, so I will bide my time in deciding  but if I do go it will most definitely be with CST.

As for the OP and the '26 WC, the itinerary of dates and venues is very important to me, the last WC in my opinion was ridiculous with the amount of travelling involved to attend the England games, from memory Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Auckland, Brisbane something like that but happy to be corrected, if it is similar I will not be going to that.

Thanks for the advice. It's always good to hear from someone with real experience of the travel company. Useful comments also, on the England games locations. 

[Harry Stottle]

18 minutes ago, JohnM said:

I'd understood that the deadline for bids to hold the World Cup in the SH had been extended to the end of March 2024. Anyone know if that is correct and if any bids were submitted?

It can only be extended presumably because of lack of interest, I have a feeling that down under the WC is as popular as the Challenge Cup has become here.

[ATLANTISMAN]

15 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

It can only be extended presumably because of lack of interest, I have a feeling that down under the WC is as popular as the Challenge Cup has become here.

Bids hilarious what bids