2023 Rugby League European Championship

The 2023 Rugby League European Championship will be the 34th edition of the Rugby League European Championship, and the inaugural edition of the promotion and relegation era of the tournament after the cancellation of the planned first edition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] The tournament will be played in October and November 2023.[3]

2023 (2023) European Championship  ()
Number of teams8
Matches played13
Tournaments
 < 2020

Background

The tournament champions will be decided by a final played between the teams finishing top of the two groups. The tournament will also act as qualification for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup. France and England have already qualified for the World Cup (by reaching the quarter-finals of the 2021 World Cup), therefore their finishing positions are ignored in the qualification process. The top team from each group who are not France or England will automatically qualify for the 2025 World Cup. The second placed team from each group, other than England or France, will enter a play-off with the two group winners from Euro B for the final two European places.[4][5]

After the fixture list was released, the Rugby Football League (RFL) announced that England would play Tonga in a three-match home test series, the dates of which coincide with the European fixtures.[6] The RFL had already decided that the England team for the European Championships would be led by England Knights coach, Paul Anderson, and not England head coach, Shaun Wane, and the squads selected will be with an eye towards the 2025 World Cup.[7] As the Championships are an international tournament, sanctioned by the Rugby League International Federation, England's matches are classed as full England internationals, not Knights' fixtures.[8]

Qualification
Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament (last)[lower-alpha 1]
 EnglandAutomatic14 July 202229 (2004)
 FranceAutomatic14 July 202231 (2018)
 IrelandAutomatic14 July 20228 (2018)
 ItalyAutomatic14 October 20211 (2009)
 ScotlandAutomatic14 July 20228 (2018)
 Serbia2021 Euro B winner9 October 20211 (2009)
 SpainAutomatic14 July 20220 (debut)
 WalesAutomatic14 July 202231 (2018)

    Group stage

    The draw for the tournament was made on 22 February 2023 in Huddersfield by Lisa McIntosh and Michelle Hargreaves.[9][10] The tournament scheduled was confirmed on 31 March.[11][12]

    Group A

    Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
    1  England[lower-alpha 2] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Final
    2  Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualify for 2025 World Cup
    3  Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifiy for 2024 European Repêchage
    4  Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegated to Euro B
    Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
    21 October 2023
    England  v  Ireland
    Source
    21 October 2023
    Scotland  v  Serbia
    Source
    28 October 2023
    Scotland  v  England
    Source
    28 October 2023
    Serbia  v  Ireland
    Source
    4 November 2023
    Serbia  v  England
    Source
    4 November 2023
    Ireland  v  Scotland
    Source

    Group B

    Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
    1  France[lower-alpha 2] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Advance to Final
    2  Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualify for 2025 World Cup
    3  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifiy for 2024 European Repêchage
    4  Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegated to Euro B
    Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
    21 October 2023
    Spain  v  Wales
    Source
    21 October 2023
    France  v  Italy
    Source
    28 October 2023
    France  v  Spain
    Source
    28 October 2023
    Italy  v  Wales
    Source
    4 November 2023
    Wales  v  France
    Source
    4 November 2023
    Italy  v  Spain
    Source

    Final
    11 November 2023
    Group A Winner v Group B Winner
    Source

    See also
    • 2023 Rugby League European Championship B

    Notes
    1. Bold indicates champion for that year.
    2. As England and France have already qualified for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup they are illegible to take tournament qualification sports.

    References
    1. "ERL Congratulates World Cup Organizers & Outlines International Fixture Schedule". europeanrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
    2. Willacy, Gavin (23 February 2023). "The European Championship offers rugby league fans quirky delights". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
    3. "Schedule announced for European Championship, including England". LoveRugbyLeague. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
    4. "Draws to be Made for Euro Men's and Women's Competitions". 25 February 2023.
    5. "Road to France 2025: Rugby League World Cup Qualifying Process Announced". Rugby League International Federation. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
    6. "England to host Tonga in maiden Test series". BBC Sport. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
    7. Ibbetson, Stephen (26 February 2023). "England Knights penned in for European Championship as home nations react to draw". TotalRL.com. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
    8. Willacy, Gavin (23 February 2023). "The European Championship offers rugby league fans quirky delights". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
    9. "Draws Made for Men's and Women's Euros".
    10. "England set to find out European Championship opponents". LoveRugbyLeague. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
    11. "Euro a Fixtures Release".
    12. "Dates Revealed For Men's 2023 European Rugby League Championship". The Sportsman. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
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