Last Updated: November 9, 2026 4:12 pm
RLWC 2030 Format Announced
International Rugby League has confirmed that the 2030 Rugby League World Cup will be staged across the Pacific region and the United States, with the tournament adopting a “Magic Round” style format. Rather than teams remaining in one location, all pool matches in a round will be played in the same host city before the tournament moves to the next destination.
The Men’s and Women’s Rugby League World Cups will be held concurrently and organised by the Australian Rugby League Commission in partnership with the IRL, while France is the leading candidate to host the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup at the same time.
RLWC 2030 will expand to 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams, up from 10 and eight respectively at RLWC 2026. The final tournament structure is yet to be determined.
The competition is expected to run over five weeks, with host cities across the Pacific and USA selected through a bidding process. The concept is designed to maximise broadcaster interest, fan engagement and commercial opportunities while helping rugby league grow in emerging markets, particularly the United States.
The IRL also announced significant international eligibility changes ahead of RLWC 2030, extending heritage qualification to players with a great-grandparent born in an eligible nation. The change was introduced to strengthen playing pools across the men’s, women’s and wheelchair international games.
In a further boost for the Pacific nations, the IRL has begun discussions to elevate Tonga and Samoa from Tier 2 to Tier 1 status, recognising their sustained on-field success and growth as international rugby league nations.
The IRL has also proposed a similar Rugby League World Cup model for 2034, with a tournament in Europe coinciding with the centenary of rugby league in France.