International Rugby League (IRL) has announced massive changes for the next Rugby League World Cup, with the tournament heading to America for the first time.
After a blockbuster edition in Australia and New Zealand over the past month, the governing body has now confirmed plans for the 2030 tournament.
Samoan and Tongan fans have taken over the RLWC. Getty Images
The biggest move is that hosting rights will go to the United States, with the growth of Pacific Island nations such as Tonga and Samoa making the tournament a more attractive proposition.
The US cities to play host have not yet been announced, but the IRL confirmed Magic Round-style weekends would take place, where all matches will be held at the same stadium.
“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,” IRL chairman Troy Grant said.
“We want to take advantage of opportunities that are opening up in new frontiers where the Rugby League World Cup hasn’t previously been played.“
Hawaii, California and Utah are considered viable destinations to host RLWC games given their large Polynesian populations.
The bold move comes as the NRL continues to play season openers in Las Vegas, with 2027 to be the fourth-straight year of the experiment.
It was also announced that the next men’s tournament would now include 12 teams, with the women’s draw increased to 10 nations.
The decision to increase the number of teams would open the door for the likes of Italy, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, Jamaica and USA to take part.
There are also plans in place to host the 2034 RLWC in Europe.