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The 2021 Men's Rugby League World Cup qualification was the qualifying process which will decide the 8 teams that would join the 8 quarter-finalists from the 2017 World Cup including the hosts England, who received an automatic spot, at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. The process commenced in June 2018, with the commencement of the 2018–19 Rugby League European Championship C tournament, which acted as the first round for European qualification.

Background

In October 2016, England was announced as the host the tournament, granting them automatic qualification.

In March 2017, the RLIF confirmed that the 8 quarter-finalists from the 2017 World Cup would receive automatic qualification to the 2021 tournament, along with details of how many slots each region will be allocated: "Seven teams will be qualified from Europe, six from the Asia-Pacific, two from the Americas, and one from a play-off series hosted in Middle East/Africa." Because Lebanon gained automatic qualification, a repechage play-off between the 2nd placed Middle East/Africa team (behind Lebanon), 2nd placed Americas team (behind the Americas qualifying team), and the 7th placed Asia-Pacific team (behind the 6 auto qualifiers) will take place instead of qualifying 2 Americas teams.

The RLIF requires participating nations to hold full or affiliate level membership. The Netherlands are the only such nation that opted to not participate.

Qualified teams

Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Total times qualified	Last time qualified	Current consecutive appearances	Previous best performance
England	Hosts	27 October 2016	7	2017	7	Runners-up (1975, 1995, 2017)
Fiji	2017 Group D winners	10 November 2017	6	2017	6	Semi-finals (2008, 2013, 2017)
Tonga	2017 Group B winners	11 November 2017	6	2017	6	Semi-finals (2017)
New Zealand	2017 Group B runners-up	11 November 2017	16	2017	16	Winners (2008)
Samoa	2017 Group B third place	11 November 2017	6	2017	6	Quarter-finals (2000, 2013, 2017)
Australia	2017 Group A winners	11 November 2017	16	2017	16	Winners (11 times)
Lebanon	2017 Group A third place	11 November 2017	3	2017	2	Quarter-finals (2017)
Papua New Guinea	2017 Group C winners	12 November 2017	8	2017	8	Quarter-finals (2000, 2017)
France	Europe second round winners	11 November 2018	16	2017	16	Runners-up (1954, 1968)
Wales	Europe second round runners-up	11 November 2018	6	2017	3	Semi-finals (1995, 2000)
Jamaica	Americas Championship winners	17 November 2018	1	–	1	–
Ireland	Europe third round Group A winners	9 November 2019	5	2017	5	Quarter-finals (2000, 2008)
Italy	Europe third round Group A runners-up	9 November 2019	3	2017	3	Group stage (2013, 2017)
Scotland	Europe third round Group B winners	9 November 2019	5	2017	5	Quarter-finals (2013)
Greece	Europe third round Group B runners-up	9 November 2019	1	–	1	–
Cook Islands	Inter-regional repechage winners	16 November 2019	3	2013	1	Group stage (2000, 2013)

Notes

1. ^ Competed as part of Great Britain in nine previous tournaments, finishing as champions on three occasions (1954, 1960, 1972). The squads largely consisted of English players, but also featured Welsh players in every tournament. Scotland (1954, 1968, 1977, 1989–92) and Ireland (1957) were represented by native-born players in some tournaments.

Europe

England were the only European team to have been guaranteed qualification as they are hosting the tournament. France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales all failed to reach the quarter finals of the 2017 World Cup. With the World Cup expanding to 16 teams in 2021, one extra European slot was available in comparison to the 2017 tournament.

The qualification structure is as follows:

• First round: 4 teams, who are the top-ranked teams in Europe excluding England, play in round-robin matches for the 2018 European Championship. The winners and runners-up qualify for the World Cup, with third and fourth place advancing to the third round.
• Second round: 6 teams divided into two pools of three teams play round-robin matches with the winners and runners-up of each pool qualifying for the World Cup.

First round

The 2018 European Championship acted as the second round of European qualification for the 2021 World Cup and automatically qualified 2 teams to the World Cup; France and Wales. The bottom two nations; Ireland and Scotland, became the top seeds in the third round.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	3	3	0	0	106	38	+68	6	Qualification for 2021 Rugby League World Cup
2	Wales	3	2	0	1	108	74	+34	4
3	Ireland	3	1	0	2	54	74	−20	2	Advance to Europe Repêchage for 2021 World Cup qualification
4	Scotland	3	0	0	3	32	114	−82	0

Ireland	36−10	Scotland
Tries: Higginson (2), Bentley, McCarthy, McMahon, O'Donnell, Ryan Goals: Finn (4/7)	Report	Tries: Glohe, Kavangh Goals: Brierley (1/2)

France	54–18	Wales
Tries: Escaré (2), Marcon (2), Ader, Curran, Gigot, Miloudi, Navarette Goals: Gigot (7/8), Albert (1/1), Curran (1/1)	Report	Tries: Kear, Olds, Ralph Goals: Olds (3/3)

Scotland	12–50	Wales
Tries: Bell, Dixon Goals: Brierley (2/2)	Report	Tries: Williams (3), Jenkins (2), Ralph (2), Butler, Evans Goals: Olds (7/9)

Ireland	10–24	France
Tries: McNally, Ryan Goals: Finn (1/2)	Report	Tries: De Costa (2), Ader, Marcon Goals: Gigot (4/5)

France	28–10	Scotland
Tries: Escaré (2), Fages, Marion Goals: Escaré (6/6)	Report	Tries: Dixon, Robertson Goals: Brierley (0/1), Thomas (1/1)

Wales	40–8	Ireland
Tries: Bennion, Butler, Evans, Lloyd, Ralph, Williams Goals: Olds (8/10)	Report	Tries: Grix, King Goals: Finn (0/2)

Second round

The third round of European qualification allowed four of the six teams to advance to the World Cup. It was scheduled for October and November 2019 and consisted of Ireland, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Greece and Italy. The six teams were split into two round-robin pools. The winners and runner-up in each pool qualified for the 2021 World Cup. There was no European qualification to the intercontinental play-off. The qualifiers were Ireland and Italy from Pool A and Scotland and Greece from Pool B.

Pool A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ireland	2	2	0	0	67	12	+55	4	Qualification for 2021 Rugby League World Cup
2	Italy	2	1	0	1	38	29	+9	2
3	Spain	2	0	0	2	12	76	−64	0

Spain	8–42	Ireland
Tries: R. Franco Goals: Pallares (2/2)	Report	Tries: McCarthy (2), Bentley, Keyes, McNally, Podesta, Roberts Goals: Podesta (7/7)

Italy	34–4	Spain
Tries: Passera (2), Campagnolo, King, Santi, Tramontana Goals: Campagnolo (5/7)	Report	Tries: L. Franco Goals: Pallares (0/1)

Ireland	25–4	Italy
Tries: Moran (2), McNally, King Goals: Podesta (4/4) Drop goals: Keyes	Report	Tries: Tramontana Goals: Campagnolo (0/1)

Pool B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Scotland	2	2	0	0	128	24	+104	4	Qualification for 2021 Rugby League World Cup
2	Greece	2	1	0	1	106	48	+58	2
3	Serbia	2	0	0	2	6	168	−162	0

Scotland	86–0	Serbia
Tries: Oakes (3), Scott (3), Brierley (2), Alex Walker (2), Glohe, Hellewell, Kavanagh, McLelland, Turland Goals: Brierley (13/15)	Report

Greece	24–42	Scotland
Tries: Kambos, Mamouzelos, Tuliatu, Zampetides Goals: Meads (4/4)	Report	Tries: Kavanagh (2), McLelland (2), Brierley, Douglas, Oakes, Scott Goals: Brierley (2/6), Thomas (2/2), Douglas (1/1)

Serbia	6–82	Greece
Tries: Mirčeski Goals: Zogović (1/1)	Report	Tries: Robinson (3), Bosmos (2), Meads (2), Mitsias (2), Constantinou, Dardamanis, Kambos, Magoulias, Mamouzelos, Mougios, G. Tsikrikas Goals: Meads (9)

Americas

The Americas group comprised four teams and was played as a single elimination knock-out tournament. Jamaica won the group beating Canada in the first round and then United States in the final. United States qualified for the intercontinental play-off by finishing as the runner-up of the tournament.

	Semi-finals				Final
	Canada	8
	Jamaica	38
					United States	10
					Jamaica	16
	United States	62
	Chile	0

Canada	8–38	Jamaica
Tries: Borggren, McGoff	Report	Tries: B. Jones-Bishop (2), A. Brown, Bryan, Golding, Magrin, Thomas Goals: Coleman (5/7)

United States	62–0	Chile
Tries: Anderson (4), Burroughs (3), Faraimo (2), Offerdahl (2), Donehue, Howard Goals: Faraimo (5/13)	Report

United States	10–16	Jamaica
Tries: Burroughs, Donehue Goals: Faraimo (1/2)	Report	Tries: Ogden, Farrell Goals: Coleman (4/6)

Inter-regional Repechage

The intercontinental play-off consisted of the Americas championship runner up (United States), 7th highest ranked Asia-Pacific team (Cook Islands), and the 2nd highest ranked Middle East-Africa team (South Africa). Cook Islands played South Africa in a preliminary match, which Cook Islands won. They then defeated the United States in the final play-off match, clinching the final place at the World Cup.

	Play-off qualifier				Play-off
					United States	16
	Cook Islands	66			Cook Islands	38
	South Africa	6

Cook Islands	66–6	South Africa
Tries: Ulberg (3), Niukore (2), R. Rennie (2), Dargan, E. Noovao, Puna, V. Rennie, Teroi Goals: Marsters (9/12)		Tries: Turner Goals: Cryer (1/1)

United States	16–38	Cook Islands
Tries: Faraimo, Howard, Shipway Goals: Faraimo (2/3)	Report	Tries: Dargan (2), Arona, Gelling, Glenn, R. Rennie, V. Rennie Goals: Marsters (5/7)

Notes

1. Russia were the winners of the European Qualifying B tournament but withdrew from the play-offs in August 2019 to be replaced by Serbia.

References

1. "England to host RLWC2021 - North America recommended for RLWC2025". RLIF. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
2. "Statement from the RLIF Board meeting - March 28th 2017". RLIF. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
3. "RLIF - Competitions". RLIF. Retrieved 29 August 2018. It is open to all full and affiliate members of the RLIF.
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5. "World Cup qualification up for grabs this autumn as Wales face France, Ireland and Scotland in European Championship". Wales Rugby League. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
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7. ^ "Euro 2018: France – Galles et France – Ecosse à Domec (Carcassonne)" (in French). FFR XIII. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
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16. Wales vs. Ireland
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18. ^ "European play-off draw made". Rugby League World Cup. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
19. "España vs Irlanda". Twitter (in Spanish). España Rugby League. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
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21. ^ "Match Officials and streaming details announced for World Cup Qualifiers". RLIF. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
22. "Tweet". Twitter. Scotland Rugby League. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
23. "Scotland vs. Serbia - Rugby League Project".
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25. "Greece vs. Scotland - Rugby League Project".
26. "Serbia vs. Greece - Rugby League Project".
27. "Srbija – Grčka 6-82" (in Serbian). Serbian RL. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
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29. ^ "Jacksonville to host Americas Qualifier Tournament for RLWC2021". RLIF.com. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
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33. ^ "Match officials for RLWC2021 Qualifier and RLIF Oceania Cup fixtures". RLIF. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
34. Freeman, Clayton (15 November 2019). "U.S., Cook Islands to clash in Rugby League World Cup playoff at UNF". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
35. "Jacksonville to host final qualifier for RLWC2021". RLIF.com. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
36. "United States of America vs. Cook Islands - United States of America 16 lost to Cook Islands 38".
37. "Tweet". Twitter. Jamaica Rugby League Association. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.

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