The 2026 Men's Rugby League World Cup European qualification is a rugby league tournament held in October 2024 to decide the nation that qualifies for the 2025 World Series and in-turn, potentially qualify for the 2026 Men's Rugby League World Cup.[1]
Background
editThe tournament will take place in October 2024 and is open to all full member nations as of 15 March 2024. The winner of the tournament will advance to the World Series in 2025.[1]
On 14 March 2024, Ireland, Italy and Scotland had their membership downgraded to affiliate members due to non-compliance with the membership policy, and as a result are no longer eligible to participate in the World Cup qualification process.[2][3]
Seeding and format
editTeams will play semi-finals and a final. The semi-finals are based on IRL Rank with highest-ranked playing lowest-ranked and second-highest playing second-lowest. The losing semi-finalists will contest a third place playoff; this has no bearing on World Cup qualification, but will count for world ranking points.[4]
The four eligible nations were confirmed to be participating on 25 July 2024. These are:
Venues
editThe following are the host cities and venues selected for the tournament:[5]
| Perpignan | Carcassonne |
|---|---|
| Stade Municipal | Stade Albert Domec |
| Capacity: 6,000 | Capacity: 10,000 |
| |
Squads
editOn 16 October 2024, the squads were announced for the four nations competing in the tournament.[6]
France
editJayson Goffin, Nittim Pedrero (Albi RL), Romain Franco (Bradford Bulls), Lucas Albert, Vincent Albert, Clement Boyer, Nolan Lopez Buttignol (Carcassonne XIII), Guillermo Aispuro Bichet, Alrix Da Costa, Theo Fages, Mathieu Laguerre, Clement Martin, Arthur Romano, Cesar Rouge (Catalans Dragons), Thomas Lacans (Featherstone Rovers), Louis Jouffret (Halifax Panthers), Hugo Salabio (Huddersfield Giants), Mickael Goudemand, Justin Sangare (Leeds Rhinos), Ugo Tison (London Broncos), Hakim Miloudi, Florian Vailhen (Pia XIII Baroudeur), Lambert Belmas, Benjamin Laguerre, Anthony Marion, Eloi Pellissier, Maxime Stefani (Toulouse Olympique), Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield Trinity), Tiaki Chan (Wigan Warriors).
Serbia
editNicholas O'Meley (Burleigh Bears), Nick Cotric (Catalans Dragons), Andrej Mora (Dorcol Tigers), David Nofoaluma, Sasha Popovic (Glebe Dirty Reds), Jake O’Meley (Lakes United Seagulls), Ilija Cotric (Mounties), Jesse Soric (NZ Warriors), Aleksandar Pavlovic, Djordje Krnjeta, Dzavid Jasari, Enis Bibic, Strahinja Stoiljkovic, (Partisan 1953), Jordan Grant (Penrith Panther), Stefan Arsic (Radnicki Nis), Marko Jankovic, Milos Calic, Nikola Djuric, Rajko Trifunovic, Vojislav Dedic, Vuk Strbac (Red Star), Joshua Coric (St George Illawarra).
Ukraine
editTim Knight (Caloundra Sharks), Daniel Janissen (Cardiff Cobras), Jonah Ngaronoa (Glebe Dirty Reds), Yevhen Checheta, Yevhen Davydov, Anatolii Hrankovskyi, Volodymyr Karpenko, Vitalii Puchkov, Dmytro Semerenko, Oleksandr Shcherbyna, Oleksandr Skorbach, Oleksandr Syvykoz, Mykhailo Troian, Yevhenii Trusov, Volodymyr Voitov (Kharkiv Legion XIII), Valentyn Korchak, Ostap Kozak (Lviv Tigers), Victor Tereszko (Queanbeyan Blues), Danylo Vedler (Rivne Giants), Brock Jurkans (Singleton Greyhounds), Tigris Polata (Southern Suburbs Magpies), Tom Mencinsky (Sydney University RLFC).
Wales
editMax Clarke (Barrow Raiders), Elliot Kear (Batley Bulldogs), Samual Grice (Castleford Tigers) Harry, Boots, Matt Ross (Cornwall), Curtis Davies (Dewsbury Rams), Connor Davies (Halifax Panthers), Billy Walkley (Keighley Cougars), Ashton Robinson (Leeds Rhinos), Sam Bowring (Midlands Hurricanes), Ben Evans (North Wales Crusaders), Joe Coope-Franklin, Finley Yates (Salford Red Devils), Josh Ralph (St George Illawara), Ant Walker, Rhys Williams (Swinton Lions), Will Evans, Huw Worthington (Whitehaven), Mike Butt, Matty Fozzard (Widnes Vikings).
Bracket
edit| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||
| 8 |  France
| ||||||||
| 20 |  Ukraine
| ||||||||
| 11 |  Serbia
| ||||||||
| 17 |  Wales
| Third place | |||||||
Fixtures
editSemi-finals
editThird place playoff
editFinal
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Rugby League World Cup qualification and World Series format revealed amid eligibility shakeup – The Roar". October 7, 2023.
- ^ "International Rugby League Membership: Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Scotland reclassified". Rugby League International Federation. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Scotland & Ireland see 2026 Rugby League World Cup qualification hopes ended". Love Rugby League. March 15, 2024.
- ^ "Men's European World Cup qualifying details confirmed". europeanrugbyleague.com. ERLF. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2464/tickets-on-sale-for-european-rlwc-finals
- ^ https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2467/squads-named-for-mens-european-world-cup