IRL announce 5 Men’s RLWC2030 hosting bids
August 1, 2024
The International Rugby League (IRL) has announced that Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and the United States have moved onto the next stage of bidding for the Men’s 2030 Rugby League World Cup.
The news comes a week after the IRL announced that Australian and Papua New Guinea would host RLWC2026.
The bidding group is the most geographically diverse in the Men’s World Cup’s 70-year history.
A total of 11 countries have expressed an interest in hosting Men’s, Women’s, and Wheelchair tournaments from 2028 to 2030.
South Africa launched an unsuccessful bid for RLWC2017 whilst the United States were originally awarded the rights to host RLWC2025 before financial concerns halted the bid.
Of the nations, only New Zealand (#2) and Papua New Guinea (#7) have punched their tickets to RLWC2026.
The United States last qualified in 2017, South Africa in 2000, and Kenya have never qualified.
Fill In The Form To Get Our NRL News Straight To Your Email For FREE!
February 24, 2026
RACING: Rosehill Best Selection & Value Play 25/2
Rosehill hosts midweek Sydney racing this week and we are faced with a +7m Rail with the aim of preserving the inside for carnival time Our analyst likes a Hawkes sprinter that looks a great chance Read MoreFebruary 24, 2026
NRL late mail: Every team's lineup for Round "Zero" in Las Vegas
Rugby league is finally back, for real! The NRL's first Team List Tuesday of the regular season has just dropped, with the Knights, Cowboys, Bulldogs, and Dragons sharing their full squads for the Read MoreFebruary 24, 2026
Knights 2026 preview: Holbrook needs to solve halves headache
It's a new era in Newcastle, with Justin Holbrook coming in as head coach to guide the club away from its latest wooden spoon season, but many of the same halves questions — and worries over a Read More
Tell Us What You Think Below