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]

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

On 25 May 2023, the European Rugby League (ERL) announced that the tournament would be postponed due to France withdrawing as hosts of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup, this was as the competition acted as a World Cup qualification tournament for Europe.[3] The tournament was scheduled October and November 2023.[4]

Format

The tournament was to act as qualification for 2025 Rugby League World Cup.

The eight teams of the tournament will be split into two groups of four and each play a single round robin. The top team from each group of Euro A will contest the final and were to automatically qualify for the World Cup. Group runners-up were to contest a playoff with the winners of the Euro B group winners for the final two European World Cup places.

France (as hosts) and England (as 2021 knock-out stage participants) had qualified for the World Cup so if either of these teams had finished in a qualification spot, the next highest team in the group would gain qualification rights.[5][6]

England schedule clash

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.[7] The RFL had already decided that the England team for the European Championships would be led by England Knights head coach, Paul Anderson, and not England head coach, Shaun Wane.[8] 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.[9]

Teams
Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament (last)[lower-alpha 1]
 EnglandTournament Return22 November 202229 (2004)
 FranceOriginal 2020 Team22 November 202231 (2018)
 IrelandOriginal 2020 Team22 November 20228 (2018)
 ItalyOriginal 2020 Team22 November 20221 (2009)
 ScotlandOriginal 2020 Team22 November 20228 (2018)
 SerbiaPromoted from 2021 Euro B22 November 20221 (2009)
 SpainOriginal 2020 Team22 November 20220 (debut)
 WalesOriginal 2020 Team22 November 202231 (2018)

    Group stage

    The draw for the tournament was made on 22 February 2023 in Huddersfield by Lisa McIntosh and Michelle Hargreaves.[10][11] The tournament scheduled was confirmed on 31 March.[12][13]

    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:

    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:
    TBA
    Spain  v  Wales
    Source
    TBA
    Italy  v  Wales
    Source
    TBA
    Wales  v  France
    Source
    TBA
    Italy  v  Spain
    Source

    Final
    TBA
    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 ineligible to take tournament qualification spots.

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