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The Field of Dreams comp is back!IRL unveils major changes for 2030 Rugby League World Cup
Sport Nation • November 9th, 2026 1:41 pm
International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant
The 2030 Rugby League World Cup will take on a Magic Round format, with the men’s and women’s tournaments to be staged across five cities in the Pacific and United States.
International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant confirmed the plans in Sydney, with the Australian Rugby League Commission partnering with the IRL to deliver the expanded tournament.
Under the proposed format, all pool matches will be played in one location over multiple days before the tournament moves to its next host city. The competition will run across five weeks, with three weeks of pool matches followed by semi-finals and finals.
The 2030 World Cup will also feature an expanded field, with 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams, up from 10 and eight respectively in 2026. The Wheelchair World Cup will again run concurrently with France the favourite to host that tournament.
“This is a strategy to maximise the interest of broadcasters, government partners and fans in the current World Cup, which has regularly broken records for crowds and the number of television viewers because of the outstanding skill, intensity and passion of the players and teams," Grant said in a statement.
The decision is driven by the opportunity to grow the game in new markets, particularly the United States, which accounted for almost 80 per cent of subscriptions to stream Rugby League World Cup matches through international broadcast partner Premier Sports.
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The five host cities are yet to be determined, with the IRL and ARLC set to assess potential locations and stadium infrastructure.
In another significant decision, the IRL Board has approved a change to international eligibility rules, allowing players to represent a nation if they, a parent, grandparent or great grandparent were born there.
The change applies to Men's, Women's and Wheelchair rugby league and follows a submission from the Cook Islands, which has a population of fewer than 20,000.
The new rule is designed to increase the player pool available to international teams, particularly smaller nations with large overseas populations.
Tonga and Samoa are also in line for promotion to Tier 1 status, with the IRL Board unanimously endorsing discussions over their elevation alongside Australia, England and New Zealand.
Both nations reached the 2026 semi-finals, with Samoa having made history as the first Pacific nation to reach a World Cup final in 2022. Tonga, meanwhile, remain the only Tier 2 nation to have defeated Australia, England and New Zealand.
Grant said the proposed elevation recognised the nations' performances and progress off the field.
The IRL will consult with both nations over the coming months before any promotion is confirmed.
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