England will host the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 after being selected ahead of a joint bid from the US and Canada.
Making the announcement this morning, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) said the wide support for the sport in England – both at grassroots and government level – had ensured the bid’s success in the final assessments earlier this month.
The UK government has already committed up to £25m to the tournament and its legacy, with £15m pledged to support the staging of the event and up to £10m for Rugby League’s infrastructure in order to grow the game across the country.
The tournament will be the biggest edition since 2000, with 16 teams and 31 matches.
While the exact venues have yet to be confirmed, the plans show that games will involve a mixture of 12 rugby league and other sporting venues – such as Manchester's Old Trafford and Wembley.
The event will include men’s, women’s and wheelchair rugby league competitions.
Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch said: “The government is investing up to £15m to put on a world class show and a further £10m into the game’s infrastructure as part of our Northern Powerhouse agenda – and to help rugby league grow outside its traditional home.
“The tournament will be a fantastic festival of rugby, enjoyed by a million spectators, and bringing economic benefits to host towns and cities. I look forward to working alongside the RLIF, RFL and UK Sport on an outstanding event.”
Brian Barwick, chair of the Rugby Football League, said the event will provide a huge boost for the sport in the country.
“The news today that England has won the right to host the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 is transformative for our sport,” Barwick said.
“Our commitment to grow the game internationally, attract more spectators than ever before and put on the biggest and best event in the sports history has clearly been recognised by the RLIF.”
The strength of the joint bid from the US and Canada was noted by the RLIF and the organisation said it will look to award the 2025 World Cup to the two countries.
In a statement, RLIF said: “The USA/Canada bid scored impressively in many areas, including but not limited to, the support of the RLIF strategy to extend the global reach of Rugby League as well as in marketing, commercial support and innovation.
“The board, acknowledging the strength of the bid, made the decision to recommend to congress in November the award of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup together with, subject to further evaluation, an Inter-nations tournament to USA/Canada to be played between the 2021 and 2025 World Cups.”
