Podcast: Jon Dutton on masterminding the best Rugby League World Cup yet & hopes for revitalising the international game

Josh McAllister 17 Aug 2022 4:55 PM

Rugby League World Cup 2021 chief executive Jon Dutton joins host George Riley for this week’s Love Rugby League podcast.

The World Cup boss discusses the work behind this year’s tournament and how it will become the best one yet when it kicks-off later this year on October 15.

This year’s World Cup will include 61 matches as the biggest one yet across the five-week period. Dutton discusses the tournament and the hopes for revitalising the international game.

Meanwhile, Love Rugby League reporter Josh McAllister joins the show to discuss all the latest.

More on the Rugby League World Cup

The Rugby League World Cup kicks-off on October 15 when England face Samoa at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. It will be followed by 60 more fixtures across the men’s, women’s and wheelchair game.

The World Cup was of course delayed from 2021 until this season due to the pandemic. Only five RLWC2021 fixtures (four match-days) were affected during the rescheduling of 61 matches staged at 21 iconic venues, across 18 host towns and cities.

Manchester will create further sporting history by hosting all three tournament finals over a weekend. Manchester Central in the heart of the city centre will host the wheelchair final on 18 November. The following day – November 19 – the showpiece men’s and women’s double-header final will take place at Old Trafford.

All 32 teams across the 21 competing nations participating in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments have fully committed to the revised tournament schedule in 2022.

Four nations will also take part in the first ever Physical Disability Rugby League World Cup, to be held in Warrington.