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Rugby League World Cup 2021 ballot open
To celebrate the one-year countdown, organisers have also released a rallying poem.
As of today, 23 October 2020, Rugby League World Cup is exactly one year away. To mark the milestone, the public ticket ballot has opened for applications and will remain open until 16 November 2020 at 20:21 GMT.
Organisers of RLWC 2021 have also released an inspiring piece by Manchester poet and proud Northerner Tony Walsh, aka Longfella, called The Power Of Together. Not only does it capture the passion of this unique global sporting event, but it also builds excitement while calling for communities across the world to look forward to the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup in history next autumn.
Walsh writes: “Help us bring it, help us sing it; help us make the planet tremble, the Rugby League World Cup is coming. Squads assemble!”
The 2021 tournament is also set to be the most inclusive ever as it will see the men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cup tournaments taking place simultaneously for the first time.
Hosts England will open Rugby League World Cup next year when they play Samoa at St James’ Park in Newcastle on 23 October 2021. Rugby fans can apply for that match among the 61 exciting fixtures.
How much are tickets for RLWC 2021?
Tickets for the Rugby League World Cup 2021 will start from £2.21 for concessions and £10 for adults across all three of the tournaments.
Fans will be rewarded for grabbing tickets in 2020, with 80% of all tickets under £50, and access to the finals starting from £30. Full refunds will be available should events be restricted, whilst organisers are offering 20,021 free seats to frontline key workers.
“I am delighted that we can offer the most accessible, fair priced and highly anticipated RLWC to fans not only here in England but also those from across the world,” said RLWC 2021 Chief Executive Jon Dutton, championing the wide reach of the tournaments.
“There is a real opportunity for fans to not only support their own nation, but also the realistic and affordable possibility of seeing some of the other high-profile games and maybe adopting a second team in the tournament,” he added.
See the full official tournament pricing list here
How can you get tickets for the RLWC 2021?
Tickets for the Rugby League World Cup 2021 are being released in three stages: priority access, ticket ballot and general sale.
Priority Access ran from 21 September – 13 October 2020 to key groups including loyal fans and the Rugby League community.
The ticket ballot opened on 23 October 2020, ahead of the general sale which will open to the public in 2021. The ticket ballot will remain open for applications until Monday 16 November 2020 at 20:21 GMT.
Fans can apply for tickets for each of the 61 matches across all three tournaments, with tickets in every price category at every match available. Remember the ballot does not work on first come, first served basis and all applications submitted at any time before or on the 16 November 2020 will be assessed equally.
Following the unprecedented demand during the Rugby League priority access sale, fans are encouraged to apply for a wide selection of matches or use the Powerplay option (ie, if you miss out on tickets to a match it automatically puts you into the ballot for tickets to the same match in the next price category up) to have a better chance of seeing their favourite teams play at RLWC 2021.
The public ticket ballot is the last opportunity to secure a seat at the 2020 promotional rates, before prices increase from 1 January 2021. Tournament organisers have also guaranteed a refund for all ticket buyers should there be restrictions on crowds at the event or should the tournament be cancelled.
Further information about tickets can be found on the official RLWC 2021 website.
What does the schedule look like for RLWC 2021?
Revealed last summer, the full schedule for Rugby League World Cup 2021 sees hosts England take on Samoa at London’s St James Park on the opening day of the men’s tournament (23 October 2021), as reigning champions Australia kickstart their campaign to retain their title against Fiji at the KCOM Stadium in Hull.
The women’s tournament will kick off on 9 November 2021 as England take on newcomers Brazil at Leeds’ Emerald Headingley Stadium, while the wheelchair tournament will launch at London’s Copper Box Arena and Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on 11 November 2021.
Next year will mark the biggest year yet for the Rugby League World Cup, combining the men’s tournament with the women’s and wheelchair competitions.
The fixtures across the three tournaments will see Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium host its first ever Rugby League match, while Old Trafford will host both the men’s and women’s finals on 27 November 2021.
The Rugby League World Cup 2021 will see 61 fixtures take place across the six-week run, as Australia look to retain their men’s and women’s titles from 2017.
In the women’s tournament, the holders will start their campaign with a fixture against Cook Island at York’s LNER Community Stadium on 10 November 2021.
England’s wheelchair tournament hopes will begin against Australia at London’s Copper Box Arena, while champions France look to get their campaign off to a strong start against Wales.
“This is a huge moment for the tournament and for millions of fans in England and around the world as we reveal the full fixture schedule,” said Dutton, upon revealing the competitions. “RLWC 2021 will bring together the very best that the sport has to offer, and you can see from the schedule that there is no end of world class, not-to-be-missed matches, across all three tournaments.”
The Rugby League World Cup 2021 takes place in October and November 2021 across England. The public ballot is now open and will remain open until Monday 16 November 2020 at 20:21 GMT. For more information and to apply for tickets head to the official RLWC 2021 website.
