It's Time For The Rugby League World Cup!

After months of planning and excitement, the Rugby League World Cup 2021 is finally upon us, and all eyes are on Newcastle for the opening game which is being held at St James’ Park this weekend.

The tournament - which will be contested in stadiums across the country and for the first time sees the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions taking place simultaneously - begins at 2.30pm on Saturday 15th October with a showdown between the England and Samoa Men’s teams. And if you’re quick you can still get tickets (they start from a very reasonable £30 and are available here). You can also catch a second match in the city on Sunday 16th October when the Scottish and Italian men’s teams go head-to-head up at Kingston Park. There will be three further matches at Kingston Park as the tournament progresses, check the fixture list here.

Rugby League resulted from a split from Rugby Union in 1895, starting in Yorkshire and spreading internationally until the first world cup was held in France in 1954. Great Britain won that one, and twice since, although current holders Australia have won eleven of the fifteen tournaments. Since the home nations started playing independently, England have yet to win the Paul Barrière Trophy in their own right, but optimism is high in the England camp and among league fans across the country. The sport prides itself on being faster and more kinetic than Rugby Union, and it’s widely considered to be the toughest team sport in the world.

Everything about this year’s tournament (tagged as RLWC2021 because the event was delayed by the pandemic) feels bigger than ever: there are more teams than before, the three competitions are taking place together and the BBC will for the first time be showing every match. The men’s and women’s finals take place on 19th November at Manchester Old Trafford, with the wheelchair final taking place the day before at Manchester Central).

Of course, the city will be buzzing with excitement for what promises to be a festival of top-flight rugby and even if you’re not heading to the match itself, there’s a lot going on for you and the family to get involved in.

The Fan Village

The official fan village will be on Newcastle Quayside (running from the Tyne Bridge down to the Millennium Bridge) and will be open on Friday 14th October from 4pm to 10.30pm, and from 10am to 10.30pm on Saturday 15th October. Entry is entirely free and un-ticketed, the whole family is welcome, and it looks set to be a lot of fun for everyone who shows up – even if you’re not a rugby fan!

As well as plenty of food stalls and bars, there’ll be competitions (try your luck at punting a rugby ball into the Tyne or staying on a rugby ball-shaped mechanical rodeo bull!) and a big screen showing both the opening game (including an on-pitch show from Kaiser Chiefs before the kick-off) and the Australia vs Fiji Men’s game at 7.30pm live from Leeds. There’s a packed and exciting line-up of music on both days, including The National Anthems, Hip Hop Hooray, Beth Macari and Cortney Dixon. To cap it all off, Saturday evening climaxes with a massive fireworks display. Plus, if you fancy seeing the city  - and the fan village – from a different angle, there are still spaces on the official RLWC Tyne Bridge Zip Line!

The Cultural Festival

Another exciting aspect of the tournament’s opening weekend is the Cultural Festival, and Newcastle is one of four cities – alongside Leeds, Hull and Manchester – to host a spectacular event on Saturday before kick-off. This specially commissioned performance aims to bring the spirit of Rugby League to the streets of Newcastle and involves dance, music and aerial performers, telling three stories about the game and its fans, demonstrating quite why rugby league invites such passion and loyalty. The performance takes place in three locations close to St James’ Park – Strawberry Place, The Lumen (on St James’ Boulevard) and The Helix (on Science Square), running from 11.30am to 1.30pm. The performance is free and family-friendly.

Throughout the tournament, there will be other elements of the Cultural Festival taking place – such as a touring poetry installation and library programmes – so keep your eyes open for things happening near you.

Newcastle is getting swept up in world cup fever and as well as a few weeks of exciting international rugby, the city itself is going to be a thrilling place to be this weekend. So whether you’re heading to St James’ Park, the fan village, the outdoor performance or all three, we hope you have the best time!