Hosts England will open the 2021 Rugby League World Cup and will be seeded alongside titleholder Australia, New Zealand and Tonga.
Details of the draw were unveiled on Monday following a four-day congress of the Rugby League International Federation in York.
The Rugby League World Cup has been increased from 14 to 16 teams, making for a simpler format, with the top two teams from each of the four pools going through to the quarterfinals.
The draws for all three Rugby League World Cups, including the women’s and wheelchair events, will be made in England on November 27, 2019, exactly two years before the 2021 final.
The second pot will feature tier two teams Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji, and Lebanon, who all qualified automatically after reaching the last eight of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
The final two pots will feature qualifiers, based on their world ranking, including the two most recently qualified sides, France and Wales.
After failing to win through from the European championship, Ireland and Scotland hope to secure qualification at the second attempt in 2019, while the United States, Chile, Jamaica, and Canada will provide one qualifier from the Americas championship in Jacksonville this week.
The women’s tournament will begin on the men’s quarterfinal weekend in 2021.
“One of our main aims was to hold the most inclusive Rugby League World Cup of all time, and I’m delighted that we have that confirmed,” Rugby League World Cup chief executive Jon Dutton said.
“It was important for us to demonstrate a commitment to tier two nations, and growing maturity for the World Cup with a clearer format.”
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Unfortunately visa issues in Russia scampered Serbia's attempts to qualify for the next World Cup. A shame as they are a country really doing the hard work to develop the code further in their country. They've even attempting to have one of their top clubs compete in the third tier of the RFL in the same way Toronto did.
ian clifton
Guest
Well not according to Timdeo Tfunga former test player and board member of local comp which once was played on a Wednesday and Union on a Saturday but has since disbanded and he is quoted as saying "best league is kept out of Samoa and rep teams are selected from Australian and new Zealand Samoans as no one considered local players in these teams"
Fred
Guest
Your 'research' on Samoa is wrong.
Pillga
Guest
Will their be any provision that World Cup nations actually plays rugby league at a domestic level to be eligible for the World Cup . Scotland for example has no domestic compition at all any more except for 2 clubs Edinburgh eagles and Strathmore silver backs who both play league as a summer sport for strathmore rugby club and Leith rugby clubs respectively in a Newcastle league compition to keep fit for the next rugby season And Samoa who also has no domestic comp left either from my research Surely these 2 top 10 nations must be ruled out , mustering players from citizens and residents from foreign lands does not make a World Cup rugby league nation
Fred
Guest
I'm glad it's expanding from 14 to 16. A pity only 1 Americas qualifier gets through. Jamaica has been close for a while now, but will likely miss out again. And one out of the US and Canada will have to miss out, despite both of them co-hosting the following world cup. Also, I hope Serbia gets through this time. They put in the hard yards domestically.
Fred
Guest
Geez, a soccer player who has never even been to Australia just got chosen for the Socceroos on heritage grounds. But when rugby league players play for a country on heritage grounds apparently it's a 'farce' and a 'joke', according to the haters of our sport.
Harold
Guest
Apologies. You are correct. I thought it was odd.. Much fairer than the last couple of World Cups where the minnows were shielded from the big guys in separate pools.
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
They are talking pots, not pools. One team from each pot will go into each pool. Australia, England, NZ and Tonga will be in separate pools
Harold
Guest
3 of the top 4 teams in the world in one of 4 pools - makes for some interesting pool matches but the quarter finals may be lopsided. Would this have happened if it was in the southern hemisphere
mtngry
Guest
Are they doing a Cup, Plate, Bowl style tournament as was used in the recent Emerging Nations World Championship in Western Sydney? (And if not, Why not?)