RLWC 2026

[Whippet13]

Expected to be announced very shortly as Australia being the main hosts:

Favourites to host 2026 Rugby League World Cup emerge as decision due (loverugbyleague.com)

Probably closely mirror the 2017 event with some games in NZ and PNG.

Looks to be the safest bet, financially.

[stookie]

Good news, all things considered.

Things have gotten crazy expensive in Aus, and I assume everywhere else as well, so "safest bet financially" is the best chance to get money in for Int RL. (I'm also starting to think we may have dodged a bullet with France hosting in 2025, as sad as that is).

The NZ RL didn't do a stellar job on hosting the Pacific Cup final last year, so I can't be too upset they aren't running this.

I still really really wish we could swing 12 teams, but right now having a WC at all feels like a minor achievement.

[Dave T]

48 minutes ago, stookie said:

Good news, all things considered.

Things have gotten crazy expensive in Aus, and I assume everywhere else as well, so "safest bet financially" is the best chance to get money in for Int RL. (I'm also starting to think we may have dodged a bullet with France hosting in 2025, as sad as that is).

The NZ RL didn't do a stellar job on hosting the Pacific Cup final last year, so I can't be too upset they aren't running this.

I still really really wish we could swing 12 teams, but right now having a WC at all feels like a minor achievement.

That's what negging does. 

We now become happy for any scraps. 

[Gomersall]

13 minutes ago, Dave T said:

That's what negging does. 

We now become happy for any scraps. 

Negging?

[Dave T]

Just now, Gomersall said:

Negging?

Convincing people they are worthless so they become grateful for whatever they can get is one form of negging. 

[Gomersall]

35 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Convincing people they are worthless so they become grateful for whatever they can get is one form of negging. 

Never heard of it. Nagging, on the other hand.

[ATLANTISMAN]

8 teams i presume 

[N2022]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

That's what negging does. 

We now become happy for any scraps. 

Yes, I agree, the expectations have got so low there's potential gratitude for anything. And look at Australia, the generous hosts. Don't want to ask for anything that puts them out too much.

Maybe we should try the opposite psychology. 'We've heard you're not that good at organising big tournaments, and you've not got that much interest in the game over here. I bet you can't even organise a 6-week 16-team competition and sell it out...' Watch them rise to that...

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Convincing people they are worthless so they become grateful for whatever they can get is one form of negging. 

Never heard of negging but if this is what it is its 100% accurate.

[sam4731]

I look forward to the NRL World Cup.

[BristolDevonCharlie]

52 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

8 teams i presume 

10 for men, as previously announced by the IRL for 2026 & 2030 RLWCs. 

Women's & wheelchair are eight teams each. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

So 8 test nations + Wales Cooks or Lebanon

Can see France missing out

[Whippet13]

4 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

So 8 test nations + Wales Cooks or Lebanon

Can see France missing out

Lebanon are in the 8, France and Cook Islands should both qualify. France v Wales this year should be a cracker though 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

So who's going?

[Whippet13]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

That's what negging does. 

We now become happy for any scraps. 

It's not negging, it's mostly simply taking advantage of the incompetence of others that has left one hand holding all the cards.

[Dave T]

8 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

It's not negging, it's mostly simply taking advantage of the incompetence of others that has left one hand holding all the cards.

It does rather miss out quite a bit of the narrative. International RL is a tough sell, and when the biggest and richest RL nation in the world consistently undermines it, you get to the point where you have to question the motives. 

Four perfect recent examples.

1. Successful Four Nations concept scrapped, not replaced by a 6 or 8 team tournaments which was mean to be the plan. 

2. The sh** show that was the Denver Test. As above, RL is a tough sell anyway without internal sabotage. 

3. The postponement of the RLWC in 2021 and the associated costs that created. I have some sympathy with them on this one, but when other international sports were working out how to make it work, we just walked away. 

4. The recent criticism of the England's staging of the Tonga series, saying we need to do better (a valid point), but it was distracting from the car crash of the Pacific Final that they'd just held in NZ in front of a smaller crowd than that in Leeds. 

I was one of the biggest critics of the RLWC last time, but we have regularly pulled in crowds that the biggest RL nation in the world can only dream of. 

[BristolDevonCharlie]

33 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

So 8 test nations + Wales Cooks or Lebanon

Can see France missing out

 

32 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Lebanon are in the 8, France and Cook Islands should both qualify. France v Wales this year should be a cracker though 

Yeah, the eight quarter finalists from the last RLWC, then two from the World Series to be played in 2025. 

The World Series will be four teams. South Africa, Jamaica, Cook Islands and one European team. 

Men's Euro qualifiers this year to feature Wales, France, Serbia and Ukraine. 

Shame that all those teams mentioned can't be in the World Cup, but not likely to happen until at least 2034, by the looks of it. 

[Balmainboy]

Surely 12 team competition would be manageable…the fact that Wales and France can’t both be in the World Cup is poor considering they’re both one of the few countries that actually play the sport domestically …

[bobbruce]

8 minutes ago, Balmainboy said:

Surely 12 team competition would be manageable…the fact that Wales and France can’t both be in the World Cup is poor considering they’re both one of the few countries that actually play the sport domestically …

This is why any team in the RLWC should have a minimum number of players from their domestic comp/teams. Otherwise it just becomes an NRL WC. 

[Balmainboy]

Just now, bobbruce said:

This is why any team in the RLWC should have a minimum number of players from their domestic comp/teams. Otherwise it just becomes an NRL WC. 

Hmm there would be very few teams if they went that route though I understand the logic. Just think they should have 12 teams tbh… 

 

 

[sam4731]

20 minutes ago, Balmainboy said:

Surely 12 team competition would be manageable…the fact that Wales and France can’t both be in the World Cup is poor considering they’re both one of the few countries that actually play the sport domestically …

Especially since we found out that Lebanon have been demoted to affiliate status but will still compete.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

So 8 test nations + Wales Cooks or Lebanon

Can see France missing out

Catalans can help any cry for French inclusion in international RL by making sure ALL their players are made available for the mid season international 

[ATLANTISMAN]

8 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Catalans can help any cry for French inclusion in international RL by making sure ALL their players are made available for the mid season international 

Don't see it hope i am wrong 

[BristolDevonCharlie]

4 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Don't see it hope i am wrong 

Even after Steve McNamara's positive comments about French RL, and it being at home?

[JohnM]

17 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

So who's going?

There's an outside chance that I, my wife and an Arsenal -supporting suvverner will go. Lobbying has commenced. 80th birthday present....if it happens.

Edited May 8 by JohnM