THE DUKE OF SUSSEX WILL HOST THE RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2021 DRAWS
Thursday 16th January 2020
The Duke of Sussex will host the Rugby League World Cup 2021 draws for the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments at Buckingham Palace on Thursday 16th January 2020.
His Royal Highness was announced as Patron of the Rugby Football League in December 2016, succeeding Her Majesty The Queen, who held the role for 64 years.
The draws will be streamed live across the Royal Family and Rugby League World Cup 2021 Twitter and Facebook channels. Prior to the draws, the Duke will meet with representatives from all 21 nations taking part in the tournament, as well as watch children from a local school play rugby league in the Buckingham Palace gardens.
The Rugby League World Cup 2021
The tournament is the pinnacle event for rugby league and will take place from 23rd October – 27th November 2021 in 17 cities across England. Sixteen men’s, eight women’s and eight wheelchair nations from 21 nations, including Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, Greece, Jamaica, Italy, Ireland, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga and Wales, will be competing to be crowned world champions. It will be the first time in tournament history that the men’s, women’s and wheelchair events are held simultaneously.
The Duke of Sussex has always strongly believed in the role of sport to bring communities together and change people’s lives. Rugby League World Cup 2021 is keen to ensure a real social impact from the three tournaments, focusing on communities across some of the most deprived areas in England. Its InspirationalALL legacy programme includes the provision of funding to enable organisations to develop their facilities. The legacy programme will deliver initiatives covering health, culture and education using this major sporting event to engage local communities.
