Rugby League World Cup 2022: Full match schedule and how to watch on TV

Australia are reigning champions and record winners  (Getty Images)
Australia are reigning champions and record winners (Getty Images)

The Rugby League World Cup is being hosted in England and it will begin on 15 October, a delayed start due to the pandemic.

The men’s competition will start first with the women’s and wheelchair competitions beginning alongside the men’s. It was a mammoth task to arrange the matches alongside one another and organisers are proud and grateful of their employees and host stadiums.

“We have achieved our objective in delivering minimal disruption to the existing 61-match schedule and I want to place on record my thanks to all those who have made it possible,” tournament chief executive Jon Dutton said.

“Every host town and city who joined us on this journey remains involved and they will set the stage for the very best that the sport has to offer.”

But when are the matches and how can fans watch? Here’s all you need to know.

When is it?

The men, women and wheelchair competitions will run alongside each other with the event starting on October 15 and concluding on November 19.

How can I watch?

Fans will be able to watch the tournament for free in the UK as it will be broadcast across the BBC and the BBC iPlayer.

Full schedule for men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions

Saturday, 15 October

Men’s

England v Samoa (14:30 BST)

Australia v Fiji (19:30 BST)

Sunday, 16 October

Men’s

Scotland v Italy (14:30 BST)

Jamaica v Ireland (17:00 BST)

New Zealand v Lebanon (19:30 BST)

Monday, 17 October

Men’s

France v Greece (19:30 BST)

Tuesday, 18 October

Men’s

Tonga v Papua New Guinea (19:30 BST)

Wednesday, 19 October

Men’s

Wales v Cook Islands (19:30 BST)

Friday, 21 October

Men’s

Australia v Scotland (19:30 BST)

Saturday, 22 October

Men’s

Fiji v Italy (14:30 BST)

England v France (17:00 BST)

New Zealand v Jamaica (19:30 BST)

Sunday, 23 October

Men’s

Lebanon v Ireland (14:30 BST)

Samoa v Greece (17:00 BST)

Monday, 24 October

Men’s

Tonga v Wales (19:30 BST)

Tuesday, 25 October

Men’s

Papua New Guinea v Cook Islands (19:30 BST)

Friday, 28 October

Men’s

New Zealand v Ireland (19:30 BST)

Saturday, 29 October

Men’s

England v Greece (14:30 BST)

Fiji v Scotland (17:00 BST)

Australia v Italy (19:30 BST)

Sunday, 30 October

Men’s

Lebanon v Jamaica (12:00 GMT)

Tonga v Cook Islands (14:30 GMT)

Samoa v France (17:00 GMT)

Monday, 31 October

Men’s

Papua New Guinea v Wales (19:30 GMT)

Tuesday, 1 November

Women’s

England v Brazil (14:30 GMT)

Papua New Guinea v Canada (17:00 GMT)

Wednesday, 2 November

Women’s

New Zealand v France (17:00 GMT)

Australia v Cook Islands (19:30 GMT)

Thursday, 3 November

Wheelchair

Spain v Ireland (17:00 GMT)

England v Australia (19:30 GMT)

Friday, November 4

Men’s

Quarter-final 1 (19:30 GMT)

Wheelchair

France v Wales (11:00 GMT)

Scotland v USA (13:30 GMT)

Saturday, November 5

Men’s

Quarter-final 2 (14:30 GMT)

Quarter-final 3 (19:30 GMT)

Women’s

England v Canada (12:00 GMT)

Papua New Guinea v Brazil (17:00 GMT)

Sunday, 6 November

Men’s

Quarter-final 4 (14:30 GMT)

Women’s

New Zealand v Cook Islands (17:00 GMT)

Australia v France (19:30 GMT)

Wheelchair

England v Spain (12:00 GMT)

Australia v Ireland (14:30 GMT)

Monday, 7 November

Wheelchair

France v Scotland (17:00 GMT)

Wales v USA (19:30 GMT)

Wednesday, 9 November

Women’s

Canada v Brazil (17:00 GMT)

England v Papua New Guinea (19:30 GMT)

Wheelchair

Australia v Spain (11:00 GMT)

England v Ireland (13:30 GMT)

Thursday, 10 November

Women’s

France v Cook Islands (17:00 BST)

Australia v New Zealand (19:30 BST)

Wheelchair

France v USA (11:00 GMT)

Wales v Scotland (13:30 GMT)

Friday, 11 November

Men’s

Semi-final 1 (19:45 GMT)

Saturday, 12 November

Men’s

Semi-final 2 (14:30 GMT)

Sunday, 13 November

Wheelchair

Semi-final 1 (12:00 GMT)

Semi-final 2 (14:30 GMT)

Monday, 14 November

Women’s

Semi-final 1 (17:00 GMT)

Semi-final 2 (19:30 GMT)

Friday, 18 November

Wheelchair

Final (19:30 GMT)

Saturday, 19 November

Men’s

Final (16:00 GMT)

Women’s

Final (13:15 GMT)