Rugby League International Federation Announcement*
The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) is pleased to make this historic announcement regarding the future blueprint for international rugby league. In collaboration with RLIF member nations, the National Rugby League, European Super League and our commercial partners, a new international rugby league calendar will be coming into effect from 2018.
Key features of this international calendar include the following regular fixtures:
- An annual Pacific Tri series featuring New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa will be played during the State of Origin period. Matches will take place in all three countries in order to achieve a balance between maximising attendances and revenue, as well promoting the sport of rugby league in all three nations.
- An annual series will be played between Fiji and Papua New Guinea during the State of Origin period. This series will utilise the origin format of alternating home games between Suva and Port Moresby.
- An annual North American Tri series will take place between the United States, Jamaica and Canada.
- An annual European nations tournament will take place featuring England, France, Wales, Ireland and a qualifier. Qualification matches will take place and minimum domestic requirements will be in force. Nations will receive administrative assistance to meet minimum requirements.
- Lebanon will be invited to compete in the European qualifiers annually, until such time as arrangements can be put in place with other opposition within the Middle East/Africa confederation.
- The post season will encompass traditional cross-hemisphere and inter-region tours by emerging nations and traditional rugby league powerhouses.
Other new international arrangements include:
- A league table will be put in place for emerging RL nations in the Asia-Pacific region. This will be designed in a way which encourages and promotes development as well as engages local communities.
- Similar arrangements will be explored in relation to other international regions, including the Middle East/Africa and Latin America, subject to the development of rugby league in those regions.
- Financial incentives will be offered for all international matches played by emerging nations on home soil. These incentives will utilise metrics which take into account the use of domestic players, results and attendance figures.
Additional strategic areas for funding over the course of the next World Cup cycle include:
- Identifying and supporting proactive emerging nations with a commitment to domestic development, such as Serbia.
- Identifying opportunities for semi—professional teams to move into a professional rugby league structure, including in the Pacific, France and North America.
- Laying groundwork for the 2025 World Cup in North America through increasing the profile of rugby league in this region and supporting the development of the sport.
- Providing administrative support for nations seeking to meet minimum domestic requirements for future World Cup qualification.
- Prioritising a concerted effort to achieve recognition by the International Sports Accord. This will be pivotal in the RLIF’s ability to support emerging nations and assist these nations in accessing national Government funding.
- Setting aside financial resources to address outstanding legal matters in the international arena, including assisting emerging nations such as United Arab Emirates and South Africa with legal recognition and assisting nations like France rectify historical anomalies which have cause detriment to rugby league.
- Working with education institutions across the globe to integrate rugby league into primary, secondary and tertiary education sporting structures and curriculum.
Financial resourcing for these fixtures and measures to improve and entrench international rugby league across emerging nations will be made possible by a number of unprecedented funding arrangements.
- In order to improve the level of financial resources available to the RLIF for managing the international game, a levy agreement has been put in place with the NRL and ESL. Under this arrangement, the NRL and ESL have agreed to direct a portion of media-related revenue, including TV broadcast rights to the RLIF. At a ratio of 5%, this means that the RLIF will have millions of additional dollars at its disposal in order to fund and support international development.
- In agreement with player associations in the Southern and Northern hemisphere, a match payment equalisation model will be brought into effect for major tournaments and tour matches. Under this agreement, all nations including international powerhouses Australia, New Zealand and England will pool player salary payments. These payments will be equally distributed across the players which participate in sanctioned major international matches.
- RLIF officials will be receiving assistance from NRL and ESL authorities in leveraging existing commercial sponsorship arrangements in order to provide additional funding for international matches, including coverage for ground hire, travel costs and other logistical costs.
- RLIF officials will be working closely with individuals and organisations keen to develop and fund the development of rugby league in emerging nations.
In reaching these agreements with the RLIF, NRL and ESL officials were positive in the return they will receive for their respective competitions. NRL CEO Todd Greenburg stated, “We recognise that a stronger international arena is pivotal in raising awareness of rugby league which will have significant flow-on effects on player pools and the lucrativeness of commercial contracts”. Rugby Football League (RFL) CEO Nigel Wood was equally positive, “As one of only two professional rugby league competitions we have a responsibility to assist in growing the game. This is not only something we have to do. We want to do this, and recognise the long-term benefits.”
This is only the beginning of a very exciting period in international rugby league. We are proud to be making these significant announcements and look forward to expanding on these arrangements in coming years with other improvements in order to realise our bold vision for international rugby league.
*DISCLAIMER: This is not actually an announcement by the RLIF. No such arrangements have been put in place. We will all have to wait and see exactly what the result is from this World Cup but we can live in hope.
