The 2030 Rugby League World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States and the Pacific Islands, marking the first time the tournament is held across these regions. The International Rugby League (IRL) confirmed the decision at its annual general meeting in Sydney, revealing plans to expand both the men's and women's competitions.
The men's tournament will grow from 10 to 12 teams, while the women's event will feature 10 teams instead of eight. The IRL has yet to finalize the format, awaiting feedback from the participating nations. The move aims to boost interest from broadcasters, government partners, and fans, following the record-breaking crowds and television audiences at this year’s event in Australia.
Tony Grant, chairman of the IRL, said the strategy is designed to take advantage of emerging opportunities in new markets. "This is a strategy to maximise the interest of broadcasters, government partners and fans in the current World Cup, which has regularly broken records for crowds and the number of television viewers," Grant said. He added that the expansion is part of a push to introduce the Rugby League World Cup to territories where it has not been played before.
The specific host cities for the 2030 tournament have not been announced. The men's and women's tournaments will run concurrently, continuing the format used at the ongoing World Cup in Australia. The IRL also proposed promoting Samoa and Tonga to Tier One status alongside Australia, England, and New Zealand. Samoa made history as the first Pacific nation to reach a World Cup final in 2022, and both Samoa and Tonga reached the semi-finals in this year’s competition.
The 2030 Wheelchair World Cup is scheduled to take place simultaneously but will be hosted separately in France. The 2034 Rugby League World Cup will return to Europe.
This year’s World Cup finals are set in Brisbane on Sunday, 15 November, with Australia and New Zealand contesting both the men's and women's titles. Australia’s men have won the last three World Cups, while their women’s team is competing in its fifth consecutive final.
The decision to stage the 2030 tournament in the USA and the Pacific Islands underlines the IRL’s interest in expanding the game’s global reach. The inclusion of larger team lineups and the elevation of Pacific nations to Tier One status reflects the changing competitive landscape within international rugby league.
According to Yahoo Sports.