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Rugby League World Cup qualification

Upcoming tournament 2026 Men's Rugby League World Cup qualification
Sport	Rugby league
Instituted	2000; 24 years ago (2000)
Region	International (IRL)

The Rugby League World Cup qualification is the process a national team goes through to qualify for the Rugby League World Cup Finals.

Qualifying rounds were first introduced for the 2000 World Cup to reflect the recent expansion of the tournament.

From 2017 hosts and teams reaching the knockout rounds of the previous tournament automatically qualify for the next. The remaining spots are achieved through regional qualification tournaments, split between the four International Rugby League confederation Asia-Pacific, Americas, Europe, and Middle East-Africa.

Prior to this qualification tournament occurred in more random groups and major rugby league nations were still invited without need for qualification.

Because of a changing number of teams making the finals and entering the qualifiers, and the unpredictability of the geographic spread of teams automatically qualifying, the format of the qualification tournament has changed with each edition of the tournament.

Pre-qualification era

1954–1977

In the first eight edition of the tournament only four teams were invited to participate. These were:

•  Australia
•  France
•  Great Britain
•  New Zealand

NB: In 1975 Great Britain split into England and Wales for a one-off tournament due to Wales wanting to showcase their influx of Welsh talent they had at the time. No Scottish or Irish player made the original Great Britain squad for that year.

1985–1992

For the next two editions of the tournament, a fifth nation was invited to participate:

•  Papua New Guinea

1995

Following the expansion of the tournament to a group and knockout format, the number of participating teams increase as well. The initial tournament of the modern era would be the final invited only tournament with four new teams making debut:

•  Fiji
•  Samoa
•  South Africa
•  Tonga

In addition, the two established British home nation sides began their regular participation in the tournament as separate entities:

•  England
•  Wales

2000

For 2000, the tournament was expanded to 16 teams. 15 gained automatic qualification or were invited:

•  Australia
•  Cook Islands
•  England (hosts)
•  Fiji
•  France (hosts)
•  Ireland (hosts)
•  Māori
•  New Zealand
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Russia
•  Samoa
•  Scotland (hosts)
•  South Africa
•  Tonga
•  Wales (hosts)

The 16th place was fought for by six teams:

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Lebanon	2	2	0	0	140	16	124	4
Italy	2	1	0	1	50	36	14	2
Morocco	2	0	0	2	0	138	-138	0
Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
United States	2	2	0	0	122	0	122	4
Japan	2	1	0	1	14	54	-40	2
Canada	2	0	0	2	0	82	-82	0

United States	8–62	Lebanon
Tries: Mains Goals: Niu (2) Sin Bin: Matautia Sent Off: Faimalo	Summary	Tries: Coorey (3), Khoury (2), Chalal, Chehade, El Masri, Lambert, Salem, Touma Goals: El Masri (9) Sin Bin: Chamoun, Maroon

2008

Hosts and Invitees

•  Australia (hosts)
•  England
•  France
•  New Zealand
•  Papua New Guinea

Europe

Round 1

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts	Qualification
Russia	3	3	0	0	108	20	+88	6	Advance to Second Round
Georgia	3	2	0	1	102	50	+52	4	Ejected
Netherlands	3	1	0	2	68	123	–55	2	Failed to qualify
Serbia	3	0	0	3	42	127	–85	0

Round 2

Group A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts	Qualification
Scotland	2	1	0	1	37	32	+5	2	Qualified for World Cup
Wales	2	1	0	1	32	37	–5	2	Advance to Intercontinental Playoff

Group B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts	Qualification
Ireland	4	2	2	0	142	64	78	6	Qualified for World Cup
Lebanon	4	2	2	0	104	42	62	6	Advance to Interncontinental Playoff
Russia	4	0	0	4	38	178	−140	0	Failed to qualify

Pacific

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts	Qualification
Tonga	3	2	0	1	102	54	48	4	Qualified for World Cup
Fiji	3	2	0	1	98	62	36	4
Samoa	3	2	0	1	86	52	34	4	Advances to Intercontinental Playoffs
Cook Islands	3	0	0	3	24	142	−118	0	Failed to qualify for World Cup

Other

United States	54–18	Japan

United States advance to Intercontinental playoffs

Intercontinental

Semi-finals

Wales	26–50	Lebanon
Tries: Gibson (3) Blackwood Bracek Goals: Harris (2/4) Briers		Tries: Salem (3) El Zbaideh Kourouche Moujalli Ndaira Saab Samia Goals: Nicolas (7/9)

United States	10–42	Samoa

Final

Lebanon	16–38	Samoa

Samoa qualify for World Cup

2013

Hosts and Invitees

•  Australia
•  Cook Islands
•  England (hosts)
•  Fiji
•  France
•  Ireland
•  New Zealand
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Samoa
•  Scotland
•  Tonga
•  Wales (hosts)

Atlantic

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
United States	2	2	0	0	0	80	8	+72	0	4
Jamaica	2	1	0	1	0	24	46	−22	0	2
South Africa	2	0	0	2	0	10	60	−50	0	0

Europe

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Italy	3	2	1	0	163	31	+132	5
Lebanon	3	2	1	0	147	23	+124	5
Russia	3	1	0	2	42	152	−110	2
Serbia	3	0	0	3	38	184	−146	0

2017

Automatic

•  Australia (as well as hosts)
•  England
•  Fiji
•  France
•  New Zealand (as well as hosts)
•  Papua New Guinea (as hosts)
•  Samoa
•  Scotland

Americas

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
United States	2	2	0	0	54	38	+16	4
Jamaica	2	0	1	1	32	38	−6	1
Canada	2	0	1	1	42	52	−10	1

Asia-Pacific

Tonga	28 – 8	Cook Islands
Try: Tafua 13' c Fonua 34' c Kata (2) 63', 68' c Terepo 74' c Goal: Kata (4/5) 14', 35', 69', 75'	Report	Try: Nicoll-Klokstad 4' Gelling 23' Goal: Rapana (0/2)

Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown Attendance: 4,813 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Solomone Kata (Tonga)

Europe

Euro C

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
Spain	2	2	0	0	116	34	82	4
Malta	2	1	0	1	60	40	20	2
Greece	2	0	0	2	4	106	-102	0

Green: Advance to A

Euro B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Serbia	6	5	0	1	196	73	+123	10
Russia	6	4	0	2	137	31	+106	8
Italy	6	3	0	3	142	54	+88	6
Ukraine	6	0	0	6	80	256	–176	0

Green: Advance to A

Euro A

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Wales	2	2	0	0	70	14	+56	4	Qualification for 2017 Rugby League World Cup
2	Italy	2	1	0	1	76	34	+42	2	Advance to fourth round
3	Serbia	2	0	0	2	14	112	−98	0

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ireland	2	2	0	0	116	22	+94	4	Qualification for 2017 Rugby League World Cup
2	Russia	2	1	0	1	56	76	−20	2	Advance to fourth round
3	Spain	2	0	0	2	12	86	−74	0

Playoff

Italy	76–0	Russia
Tries: Castellaro (2), Cerruto (2), Lepori (2), Wilkie (2), Campese, Celerino, Centrone, Santi, Wakeman, Walker Goals: Campese (10/14)	Report (RLIF)

Middle East-Africa

25 October 2015	South Africa	12–40	Lebanon	Bosman Stadium, Brakpan
31 October 2015	South Africa	16–50	Lebanon	Bosman Stadium, Brakpan

2021

Automatic

•  Australia
•  England (as well as hosts)
•  Fiji
•  Lebanon
•  New Zealand
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Samoa
•  Tonga

Americas

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

 Jamaica qualify
 United States advance to Intercontinental playoffs

Europe

Round 1

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

Playoffs

Group 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

Group 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

Intercontinental

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

 Cook Islands qualify

2026

Automatic

•  Australia
•  England
•  Fiji
•  Lebanon
•  New Zealand
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Samoa
•  Tonga

Europe

	Semi-finals				Final
	France	74
	Ukraine	8
					France	48
					Wales	6
	Serbia	0
	Wales	48

 France advance to Intercontinental playoffs

Intercontinental

•  Cook Islands
•  Jamaica
•  South Africa
•  France

Results

As of the 2021 tournament, 21 different teams have competed in at least one world cup either via invitation or qualification. Australia, France, and New Zealand, are the only teams to have completed in every tournament. England has also participate in every tournament but competed as Great Britain prior to 1995 with the exception of 1975.

Team	1954	1957	1960	1968	1970	1972	1975	1977	1985–1988	1989–1992	1995	2000	2008	2013	2017	2021	2026	Years
Australia	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	17
Cook Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	DNQ	INV	DNQ	Q	TBD	3
England	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	-	-	-	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	8
Fiji	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	7
France	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	Q	TBD	16
Great Britain	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	-	INV	INV	INV	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9
Greece	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	DNQ	Q	TBD	1
Ireland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	Q	INV	Q	Q	TBD	5
Italy	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	DNQ	-	Q	Q	Q	TBD	13
Jamaica	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	DNQ	DNQ	Q	TBD	1
Lebanon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Q	DNQ	DNQ	Q	AQ	AQ	4
Māori	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	-	-	-	-	TBD	1
New Zealand	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	17
Papua New Guinea	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	9
Russia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	SUP	SUP	1
Samoa	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	INV	Q	INV	AQ	AQ	AQ	7
Scotland	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	Q	INV	AQ	Q	TBD	5
South Africa	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	INV	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	TBD	2
Tonga	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	INV	Q	INV	Q	AQ	AQ	7
United States	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	DNQ	DNQ	Q	Q	DNQ	TBD	2
Wales	-	-	-	-	-	-	INV	-	-	-	INV	INV	DNQ	INV	Q	Q	TBD	6
Total	4	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	5	5	10	16	10	14	14	16	10

Legend

•    = Hosts
• INV = Invited
• AQ = Automatically Qualified
• Q = Qualified
• DNQ = Did not qualify
• - = Did not participate or was not invited
• SUP = Suspended

Competed as Great Britain in nine previous tournaments. 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.
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been banned from all international tournaments.
The United States was invited to the 1954 World Cup, but later canceled their invitation.

Participation

The following table shows the number of years each team has completed in both the qualifiers and final tournament. Bold inducates teams automatically qualified or were invited to participate.

Updated for 2026 European Qualifiers

Team	Qualifiers	Finals
Canada	3 (2000, 2017, 2021)	0
Chile	1 (2021)	0
Cook Islands	3 (2008, 2017, 2021)	2 (2000, 2013)
Fiji	1 (2008)	6 (1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
France	2 (2021, 2026)	16 (1954, 1957, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1985–88, 1989–92, 1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Georgia	1 (2008)	0
Greece	2 (2017, 2021)	1 (2021)
Ireland	3 (2008, 2017, 2021)	5 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Italy	4 (2000, 2013, 2017, 2021)	3 (2013, 2017, 2021)
Jamaica	3 (2013, 2017, 2021)	1 (2021)
Japan	2 (2000, 2008)	0
Lebanon	4 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017)	3 (2000, 2017, 2021)
Malta	3 (2017, 2021)	0
Morocco	1 (2000)	0
Netherlands	1 (2008)	0
Russia	4 (2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)	1 (2000)
Samoa	1 (2008)	5 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Scotland	2 (2008, 2021)	5 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Serbia	5 (2008, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2026)	0
South Africa	3 (2013, 2017, 2021)	2 (1995, 2000)
Spain	2 (2017, 2021)	0
Tonga	2 (2008, 2017)	6 (1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)
Wales	4 (2008, 2017, 2021, 2026)	6 (1975, 1995, 2000, 2013, 2017, 2021)
United States	5 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2021)	2 (2013, 2017)
Ukraine	4 (2017, 2021, 2026)	0

Debuts

The following table shows which years teams made their qualification tournament debut. It doesn't not include teams that have previously qualified automatically or invited to participate.

Year	Americas	Asia-Pacific	Europe	Middle East-Africa	Total
2000	United States  Canada	Japan	Italy	Lebanon  Morocco	6
2008		Cook Islands	Georgia  Netherlands  Serbia		4
2013	Jamaica				1
2017			Greece  Malta  Spain  Ukraine		5
2021	Chile				1
Total	4	2	7	2	15

See also

References

• Rugby League World Cup