World Cup 2025 qualifying set to continue
Qualifying for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup in France will continue this weekend.
The South American Championships involving Brazil, Chile and Colombia will be streamed live online, with the first game taking place tonight, Friday November 25.
It comes just six days after the 2021 World Cup finals were held at Old Trafford, with Australia winning both the men and women’s tournaments.
Attention will once again be on Brazil in international rugby league, after their women’s famous debut against England at Headingley earlier this month.
Their men’s team take on Chile in the first game on Friday, with the loser of the game taking on Colombia on Saturday. The winner will face host nation Colombia on Sunday.
“The nations of South America are excited to start the next World Cup cycle in the Colombian Andes, demonstrating the expanding horizons of our great sport,” said tournament director Robert Burgin.
“Simultaneously we are pleased to offer fans professional coverage of the event on a platform that sees funds distrubuted directly to the competing nations.
“Great sacrifices have been made across the continent to ensure this event proceeds and Recast is a way to bring our exciting style of rugby league to the world and ensure sustainability at the same time.”
The games are being held in Jerico, Colombia, with games kicking off at 8.30pm UK time and broadcast live by Novo Sports, who recently broadcast the friendly between Tonga and France in Halifax.
You can watch the South American Championships live online here
How qualifying for the 2025 World Cup will work
Colombia are not eligible to qualify due to their status as an observer nation.
Either Brazil or Chile will go through to the 2023 Americas Rugby League Championship, where they will battle against USA, Jamaica and Canada.
The top two sides from that tournament will qualify for the 2025 World Cup in France.
Nine nations have already secured their spot at the tournament, with the hosts guaranteed their place.
They are joined by the eight quarter-finalists from the recently completed 2021 tournament – Australia, England, Fiji, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
That leaves seven places to be fought out over the next couple of years.
In Europe, the European Championship B between Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway and Ukraine will battle it out for two places in the final qualifying rounds in 2024.
They will then be joined by Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Serbia, Spain or Wales – with the exact make-up as yet unknown. Those six nations will place against France and England in the 2023 European Championship, with some automatic places up for grabs at the World Cup.
Those who don’t make it from that group, will then face the two nations from European Championship B in 2024 for the final places.
As Lebanon have already guaranteed their place as the Middle East/Africa representative, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa will battle for a place in the intercontinental play-off.
Everything you need to know about the 2025 World Cup in France