Rugby League World Cup: when does 2022 RLWC competition start - schedule, fixtures, groups, venues, final date

The Rugby League World Cup is fast approaching with England gearing up to host the pinnacle event in international rugby.

It has been an incredible summer for English sport in 2022.

In the Commonwealth Games, Team England won more medals than ever before and the Lionesses roared to victory in the women’s Euro 2022.

The England rugby league team will be aiming to emulate this success in this year’s competition. But when does the Rugby League World Cup kick off and what is the schedule for this years competition?

Here is your guide to this year’s Rugby League World Cup.

When is the opening ceremony for the Rugby League World Cup 2022?

The opening ceremony for the Rugby League World Cup will take place at St James’ Park in Newcastle on Saturday 15 October.

The tournament was scheduled to take place between 23 October 21 and 27 November 2021 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent withdrawals of Australia and New Zealand.

When does the Rugby League World Cup start?

The Rugby League World Cup will kick off after the opening ceremony on Saturday 15 October. The opening game of the tournament will see England men take on Samoa at St James’ Park.

For the first time the Rugby League World Cup will be run in parity with the women’s and wheelchair tournaments.

What venues will be used in the Rugby League World Cup?

There will be 21 different venues at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup.

Here is a full list of all the venues that will feature in this year’s tournament - and capacity attendance.

• Manchester: Old Trafford - 74,994
• London: Emirates Stadium - 60,260
• Newcastle: St James’ Park - 52,405
• Leeds: Elland Road - 37,890
• Middlesbrough: Riverside Stadium - 34,742
• Sheffield: Bramall Lane - 32,702
• Coventry: Coventry Building Society Arena - 32,753
• Bolton: University of Bolton Stadium - 28,723
• Hull: MKM Stadium - 25,400
• Wigan: DW Stadium - 25,138
• Huddersfield: John Smith’s Stadium - 24,121
• Leeds: Headingley Stadium - 21,062
• St Helens: Totally Wicked Stadium - 18,000
• Doncaster: The Eco-Power Stadium - 15,231
• Warrington: Halliwell Jones Stadium - 15,200
• Leigh: Leigh Sports Village - 12,000
• Newcastle: Kingston Park - 10,200
• York: York Community Stadium - 8,500

What is the schedule for the men’s Rugby League World Cup?

Here is the draw for the men’s Rugby League World Cup and all the fixtures from the group stage of the competition.

Pool A

England

France

Greece

Samoa

Game 1

Saturday 15 October: England vs Samoa - 2.30pm

Monday 17 October: France vs Greece - 7.30pm

Game 2

Saturday 22 October: England vs France - 5pm

Sunday 23 October: Samoa vs Greece - 5pm

Game 3

Saturday 29 October: England vs Greece - 2.30pm

Sunday 30 October: Samoa vs France - 5pm

Pool B

Australia

Fiji

Italy

Scotland

Game 1

Saturday 15 October: Australia vs Fiji - 7.30pm

Sunday 16 October: Scotland vs Italy - 2.30pm

Game 2

Friday 21 October: Australia vs Scotland - 7.30pm

Saturday 22 October: Fiji vs Italy - 2.30pm

Game 3

Saturday 29 October: Fiji vs Scotland - 5pm

Saturday 29 October: Australia vs Italy - 7.30pm

Pool C

Ireland

Jamaica

Lebanon

New Zealand

Game 1

Sunday 16 October: Jamaica vs Ireland - 5pm

Sunday 16 October:  Lebanon vs New Zealand - 7.30pm

Game 2

Saturday 22 October: New Zealand vs Jamaica - 7.30pm

Sunday 23 October: Lebanon vs Ireland - 2.30pm

Game 3

Friday 28 October: New Zealand vs Ireland - 7.30pm

Sunday 30 October: Lebanon vs Jamaica - 12pm

Pool D

Cook Islands

Papua New Guinea

Tonga

Wales

Game 1

Tuesday 18 October: Tonga vs Papua New Guinea - 7.30pm

Wednesday 19 October: Wales vs Cook Islands - 7.30pm

Game 2

Monday 24 October: Tonga vs Wales - 7.30pm

Tuesday 25 October: Papua New Guinea vs Cook Islands - 7.30pm

Game 3

Sunday 30 October: Tonga vs Cook Islands - 2.30pm

Monday 31 October: Papua New Guinea vs Wales - 7.30pm

Quarter Final

Friday 4 October: Group B winner vs Group C runner-up - 7.30pm

Saturday 5 November:Group A winner vs Group D runner-up - 2.30pm

Saturday 5 November: Group C winner vs Group B runner-up - 7.30pm

Sunday 6 November - Group D winner vs Group A runner-up - 2.30pm

Semi Final

Friday 11 November- 7.45pm

Saturday 12 November - 2.30pm

Final

Saturday 19 November - 4pm

The schedule for the women’s Rugby League World Cup 2022

Women’s Group A

England

Brazil

Canada

Papua New Guinea

Game 1

Tuesday 1 November: England vs Brazil - 2.30pm

Tuesday 1 November:  Canada vs Papua New Guinea - 5pm

Game 2

Saturday 5 November: DW Stadium - England vs Canada - 12pm

Saturday 5 November: MKM Stadium - Papua New Guinea vs Brazil - 5pm

Game 3

Wednesday 9 November: Canada vs Brazil - 5pm

Wednesday 9 November: England vs Papua New Guinea - 7.30pm

Women’s Group B

Australia

Cook Islands

France

New Zealand

Game 1

Wednesday 2 November: New Zealand vs France - 5pm

Wednesday 2 November: Australia vs Cook Islands - 7.30pm

Game 2

Sunday 6 November:  New Zealand vs Cook Islands - 5pm

Sunday 6 November:  Australia vs France - 7.30pm

Game 3

Thursday 10 November: France vs Cook Islands - 5pm

Thursday 10 November: Australia vs New Zealand - 7.30pm

Semi-final

Monday 14 November: Group B winner vs Group A runner-up - 5pm

Monday 14 November: Group A winner vs Group B runner-up - 7.30pm

Final

Saturday 19 November: Final - 1.15pm

The schedule for the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup

Group A

Australia

England

Ireland

Spain

Game 1

Thursday 3 November: Spain vs Ireland - 5pm

Thursday 3 November: England vs Australia - 7.30pm

Game 2

Sunday 6 November: England vs Spain - 12pm

Sunday 6 November: Australia vs Ireland - 2.30pm

Game 3

Wednesday 9 November: Australia vs Spain - 11am

Wednesday 9 November:  England vs Ireland - 1.30pm

Group B

France

Scotland

USA

Wales

Game 1

Friday 4 November: France vs Wales - 11am

Friday 4 November: USA vs Scotland - 1.30pm

Game 2

Monday 7 November: France vs Scotland - 5pm

Monday 7 November: Wales vs USA - 7.30

Game 3

Thursday 10 November: France vs USA - 11am

Thursday 10 November: Wales vs Scotland - 1.30pm

Wheelchair Semi Final

Sunday 13 November: Group B winner vs Group A runner-up - 12pm

Sunday 13 November: Group A winner vs Group A runner-up - 2.30pm

Wheelchair Final

Friday 18 November: 7.30pm