With 500 days to go until the opening fixture of the Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021), tournament organisers have announced that Doncaster will be the training base for Samoa’s men’s team.
RLWC2021 is coming to England next year, with Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium hosting three men’s group game fixtures. Doncaster has a long-standing sporting tradition to go with its rich history and playing host to one of the leading men’s sides, Samoa, is sure to get everyone excited for the tournament in 2021.
The squads from the 21 unique nations and 32 teams will be based in different locations. The full list of host towns and cities, and the corresponding nations is as follows:
All the host cities and towns, including those who won’t be a dedicated team base (Coventry and Kirklees), will form a huge part of making the tournament a success, welcoming players from around the world and adopting them as their own, as they get behind them and cheer them on in 500 days’ time. Following this announcement, the fixtures for all three tournaments will be announced in the coming months.
Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, said: “We are delighted with the news that Doncaster will welcome the Samoan national rugby league team who will base themselves in the town for the Rugby League World Cup 2021.
“It is an honour to host representatives from such a proud nation and we are looking forward to learning more about their culture while they visit us. I’m sure they will leave a lasting impression on the town.
“It has been a big effort by everyone to ensure yet another elite sporting event is staged in Doncaster and, with 500 days until the tournament begins, preparations are well underway.”
RLWC2021 has today also revealed new branding for the tournament, celebrating the power of together, focusing on human interest stories and emotional connections, with the goal of connecting with a universal audience.
The new branding will also include bespoke elements from each host, drawing on recognisable icons and displaying the sense of civic pride each host has for its town or city. RLWC2021 will be asking people from each town and city to vote on the icons that make up their custom patterns in the coming months and will be doing something similar for the nations towards the end of the year.
Jon Dutton, RLWC2021 Chief Executive, said: “Today marks another hugely exciting milestone on the road to Rugby League World Cup 2021 as we celebrate 500 days until the opening fixture at St James’ Park in October next year.
“Doncaster is a fantastic town with a passionate sporting fanbase, who have shown great support for RLWC2021 since it was announced they would play host in 2021. With the Samoan men’s side impending arrival in Doncaster, this is another thing for the community to get excited about as we continue to countdown.
“Our refreshed tournament identity and today’s nation base announcement can serve as an exciting reminder for the people of Doncaster of what’s to come in 2021 as we continue to build momentum towards what promises to be the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup in history.”
Please visit www.RLWC2021.com for more information and for details on how to sign up to the receive ticket alerts and all the latest news first.
