The first ever Nines World Cup will take place after England have toured Australia and New Zealand in 2019 the Rugby League International Federation have revealed.
Following a RLIF board meeting yesterday, it has also been announced that an Emerging Nations World Championship will take place next year.
Furthermore, the 2021 World Cup will be a 16-team competition, up two from the 2017 staging, with all eight quarter-finalists from this year’s event automatically qualifying.
RLIF chairman Nigel Wood commented: “This meeting received the Tier One Nations proposed programme for the next four-year cycle together with the RLF Global Events.
“The RLIF Chief Executive David Collier will now work with our Continental Federations and our International Competition Group chaired by Graeme Thompson to bring forward proposals to our 9 May Board meeting concerning complementary Continental competitions and matches to expand Tier Two and Tier Three Nation international fixtures.
“Whilst the detail of the matches will not be finalised until the Autumn, RLIF is delighted to have identified a full programme for the next four-year cycle to enable the completion of the International Calendar.”
The Rugby League International Federation board will meet again in Sydney this May to set out more detailed plans for each of the events outlined above.
