RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP

 

Host Nation - Australia & New Zealand

Number of Teams - 16 (Still to be confirmed)

2017 World Cup Snapshot - The 2017 Rugby League World Cup will be the 15th installment of the oldest Rugby World Cup tournament on the planet. The games will more then likely be hosted by Australia with New Zealand as the co-hosts. Depending on the success of the 2013 tournament, fourteen to sixteen teams will participate.

The participating nations will be split up into four groups of four. If New Zealand do co-host with Australia more then likely two groups will play in New Zealand while the other two groups play in Australia. In late July 2010 at the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) meeting in Singapore the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) made their intentions clear about co-hosting the tournament in 2017.

2017 Rugby League World Cup Group Format

If the RLIF decide to go with 16 teams they will be split up into four groups. The format will follow the same lines as the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.

Group One - 4 teams

Group Two - 4 teams

Group Three - 4 teams

Group Four - 4 teams

2017 Rugby League World Cup Finals Format

If it is decided to go with a sixteen team format the finals system used in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup will more then likely be used.

The teams that finish in the top 2 in each group would qualify for the quarter finals. The winner of each quarter final match would then qualify for the semi-finals.

The winner of both semi-finals will play each other a week later in the World Cup Final.

Dear Readers, if you would like to talk more about the World Cup with other rugby league fans please visit our international rugby league forums at http://forums.rugbyleagueplanet.com and have your say.