List of Rugby League World Cup opening matches

The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition established in 1954. The tournament has taken place fifteen times in irregular intervals,[1] however the tournament is currently happening every four years.

The opening match is the first match of the tournament and usually it has a ceremony to go with it. Often, it features the host nation.

List of opening matches

Italics denotes host nation.

Year Winning Team Final score Losing Team Venue Location Attendance References Notes
1954 France  22–13  New Zealand Parc des Princes Paris, France 13,240 Report
1957 Great Britain  23–5  France Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney, Australia 50,077 Report
1960 Great Britain  23–8  New Zealand Odsal Stadium Bradford, England 20,577 Report 2 matches on the first day were played at the same time
Australia  13–12  France Central Park Wigan, England 20,278 Report
1968 Australia  25–10  Great Britain Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney, Australia 62,256 Report
1970 Australia  47–11  New Zealand Central Park Wigan, England 9,805 Report
1972 France  15–10  New Zealand Stade Vélodrome Marseille, France 20,748 Report
1975 France  14–7  Wales Stadium de Toulouse Toulouse, France 7,563 Report
1977 Australia  27–12  New Zealand Carlaw Park Auckland, New Zealand 18,000 Report
1985–1988 New Zealand  18–0  Australia Carlaw Park Auckland, New Zealand 15,327 Report
1989–1992 Australia  22–14  New Zealand Mount Smart Stadium Auckland, New Zealand 15,000 Report
1995 England  20–16  Australia Wembley Stadium (1923) London, England 41,271 Report
2000 Australia  22–2  England Twickenham Stadium London, England 33,758 Report
2008 England  32–22  Papua New Guinea Willows Sports Complex Townsville, Australia 10,780 Report The opening ceremony was held the following day before a double header, with the matches being Indigenous Dreamtime 34–26 New Zealand Maori (not a tournament match) and Australia 30–6 New Zealand at the Sydney Football Stadium.
2013 Italy  32–16  Wales Millennium Stadium Cardiff, Wales 45,052 Report This was the first match in a double header with Australia 28–20 England being the other match
2017 Australia  18–4  England Melbourne Rectangular Stadium Melbourne, Australia 22,724 Report
2021 England  –  Samoa St James' Park Newcastle upon Tyne, England Report

References
  1. "Rugby League World Cup | History & Winners". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
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