International Rugby League

The Rugby League World Cup, complete: all 16 editions from the inaugural 1954 tournament in France through 2021, every final, the all-time national honour table, and a page for each of the 10 nations to have reached a semi-final. Great Britain is kept as its own side for the years it competed as one, before England and Wales entered separately.

World Cup finals

Every Rugby League World Cup decider since 1954.

YearChampionScoreRunner-upHost
2021Australia30-10SamoaEngland
2017Australia6-0EnglandAustralia, NZ & PNG
2013Australia34-2New ZealandEngland & Wales
2008New Zealand34-20AustraliaAustralia
2000Australia40-12New ZealandBritish Isles
1995Australia16-8EnglandEngland & Wales
1989-1992Australia10-6Great BritainHome-and-away
1985-1988Australia25-12New ZealandHome-and-away
1977Australia13-12Great BritainAustralia & New Zealand
1975Australiaround-robinEnglandAustralia, NZ, France & UK
1972Great Britain10-10 (a.e.t.)AustraliaFrance
1970Australia12-7Great BritainUnited Kingdom
1968Australia20-2FranceAustralia & New Zealand
1960Great Britainround-robinAustraliaUnited Kingdom
1957Australiaround-robinGreat BritainAustralia
1954Great Britain16-12FranceFrance

All-time honour table

Final-four finishes only (the source records the semi-finalists of each edition), ordered by titles.

NationTitlesRunners-upSemisBest finishSpan
Australia1231Champions19542021
Great Britain342Champions19541989
New Zealand1311Champions19542021
England034Runners-up19752021
France026Runners-up19541989
Samoa010Runners-up20212021
Fiji003Semi-finalist20082017
Wales003Semi-finalist19752000
Papua New Guinea001Semi-finalist19851985
Tonga001Semi-finalist20172017

Editions

202116 teams
Australia bt Samoa 30-10
Hosts: England
201714 teams
Hosts: Australia, NZ & PNG
201314 teams
Hosts: England & Wales
200810 teams
Hosts: Australia
200016 teams
Hosts: British Isles
199510 teams
Hosts: England & Wales
1989-19925 teams
Hosts: Home-and-away
1985-19885 teams
Hosts: Home-and-away
19774 teams
Hosts: Australia & New Zealand
19755 teams
Australia bt England round-robin
Hosts: Australia, NZ, France & UK
19724 teams
Great Britain bt Australia 10-10 (a.e.t.)
Hosts: France
19704 teams
Hosts: United Kingdom
19684 teams
Hosts: Australia & New Zealand
19604 teams
Great Britain bt Australia round-robin
Hosts: United Kingdom
19574 teams
Australia bt Great Britain round-robin
Hosts: Australia
19544 teams
Hosts: France

Nations

Club rugby league

Sources & methodology

Compiled from the public record of all 16 Rugby League World Cups (1954-2021): each edition's champion, runner-up and the two losing semi-finalists. Because the source captures the final four rather than every fixture, the table counts semi-final-or-better finishes, not total tournament entries. Great Britain (1954-1992) is kept as a distinct national side; England, Wales and the other home nations carry their own records from the editions they entered separately. The 2025 edition was postponed and is out of scope until played.