Rugby League World Cup 2030 to be staged in Pacific-USA

International Rugby League has announced that the men's and women's 2030 Rugby League World Cup will be held across the Pacific and the United States. The tournament will adopt a 'Magic Round' format across five locations over five weeks. In addition, the board endorsed elevating Tonga and Samoa to Men's Tier 1 status following their strong on-field performances in recent tournaments, subject to consultation.

The tournament will expand to 12 teams in the men's competition and 10 in the women's event, while France will host the Wheelchair World Cup. Eligibility rules have also been updated to allow players to represent heritage nations through great-grandparents following a submission by the Cook Islands. IRL chair Troy Grant revealed the 2034 tournament is proposed to take place across Europe.