Emerging nations World Cup?

[Perth Red]

With the dream of a world cup now removed for most lower tier nations Is it time to bring back the emerging nations World Cup? There’s lots of countries now taking up the sport but aren’t close to being ready to take on the worlds best nations.

Possible ten nation emerging nations world cup

Greece
Italy
Holland
USA
Jamaica
Serbia
Nigeria
Malta
Wales
Canada

 

[Perth Red]

After a few unsuccessful attempts Everything Rugby League eventually connected with Steve Georgallis. The affable Greek coach is in Rhodes where he is visiting family and running training sessions after spending some time on the island of Tilos where his father was born.

“We’ve had two or three black outs here,” Georgallis explains in the same unfazed manner he has approached all the well documented struggles endured by rugby league in Greece.

Last year was arguably the finest in the sport’s relatively short history in Greece with the Government officially recognising rugby league as a legal sport and the national men’s team participating in the World Cup.

The joy and excitement generated by these events in 2022 has been tempered by an official announcement by the International Rugby League this year that the number of teams for the next World Cup in 2026 will be reduced from 16 to 10 and nations need to be full International Rugby League members to qualify. Greece is currently an affiliate member and is taking steps to attain full membership.


“It’s a hard pill to swallow. How do you develop the game if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel in relation to a world championship or a world cup competition?

“Hopefully, we’re still involved with qualifying processes next year or the year after that. It was a massive high to be in the World Cup and a great achievement from everyone involved; staff, players, people in Greece, people in Australia. Then to realise that it’s so difficult to make it again, I suppose it’s sort of the highs and lows of rugby league.

“I think the most important benefits that came out of the World Cup was the domestic players being able to come back to Greece and promote the game in the communities and getting a strong, domestic comp so that we can meet the criteria for (full) membership. Trying to get to the schools and to get junior development programs started is a very big task.

Georgallis: ‘There needs to be light at the end of the tunnel’

After a few unsuccessful attempts Everything Rugby League eventually connected with Steve Georgallis.

everythingrugbyleague.com

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I don't think it's too much to ask for nations to be full IRL members to play in the world cup. If anything it's an incentive for more nations to gain full membership

 

[Coastbloke]

TBH the IRL can’t even organise a proper RLWC what hope for a ENWC…

 

[Perth Red]

TBH the IRL can’t even organise a proper RLWC what hope for a ENWC…

The IRL doesn’t organise world cups. That’s the host nations job,

 

[Perth Red]

I don't think it's too much to ask for nations to be full IRL members to play in the world cup. If anything it's an incentive for more nations to gain full membership

I think it recognises countries that are growing And gives them a,enaningful tournament to play in.

I’d have it that only 4 of the squad can come from outside that countries domestic comp. Would be a motivator for grassroots development in these new countries.

main World Cup for professional players
emerging World Cup for mainly amateur players