Where to watch the Rugby League World Cup: UK coverage of RLWC2021 - TV channel, live stream, highlights

The Rugby League World Cup will enjoy its biggest ever tournament this year with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments all taking place at the same time.

All 61 matches in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups will be broadcast live on free to air television or Iplayer, via the BBC.

Mark Chapman, Tanya Arnold and Invictus Games medalist JJ Chalmers will be the lead presenters, with guest experts including former Leeds Rhinos men’s stars Jamie Peacock, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Kyle Amor, women’s team coach Lois Forsell and former player Danika Priim.

Australian Andrew Voss is among the commentary team, which also includes Dave Woods, Matt Newsum, Sheraton Shortle, Mark Wilson and Andy Stevenson.

Here is the full TV schedule for the Rugby League World Cup...

Men’s tournament:

Australia are the current holders of the men’s World Cup and have won 11 titles since the competitions first edition in 1954. For the first time, 16 teams will compete in this year’s World Cup making it the biggest event to date.

• Saturday, October 15: England v Samoa (BBC One, BBC iPlayer); Australia v Fiji (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Sunday, October 16: Scotland v Italy (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Jamaica v Ireland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); New Zealand v Lebanon (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Monday, October 17 : France v Greece (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Tuesday, October 18: Tonga v Papua New Guinea (BBC Three, BBC iPlayer).
• Wednesday, October 19: Wales v Cook Islands (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Friday, October 21: Australia v Scotland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, October 22: Fiji v Italy (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); England v France (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); New Zealand v Jamaica (BBC Three, BBC iPlayer).
• Sunday, October 23: Lebanon v Ireland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer), Samoa v Greece (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Monday, October 24: Tonga v Wales (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Tuesday, October 25: Papua New Guinea v Cook Islands (BBC Three, BBC iPlayer).
• Friday, October 28: New Zealand v Ireland (BBC Three, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, October 29: England v Greece (BBC One, BBC iPlayer); Fiji v Scotland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Australia v Italy (BBC iPlayer, Red Button & BBC Sport Online).
• Sunday, October 30: Lebanon v Jamaica (BBC iPlayer, Red Button BBC Sport Online); Tonga v Cook Islands (BBC iPlayer, Red Button BBC Sport Online); Samoa v France (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Monday, October 31: Papua New Guinea v Wales (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Friday, November 4: Quarter-final One (BBC Three, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, November 5: Quarter-final two (BBC One, BBC iPlayer); Quarter-Final three (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Sunday, November 6: Quarter-Final four (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Friday, November 11: Semi-final one (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, November 12: Semi-final two (BBC One, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, November 19: Final (BBC One, BBC iPlayer).

Women’s tournament:

This is the sixth time the women’s competition has taken place and it is the first time that the women’s tournament has had parity with the men’s and wheelchair tournaments as all participants will be paid the same as well as all their matches being shown live.

Australia are once again the holders of the trophy but New Zealand are the most successful side with two wins to their name.

• Tuesday, November 1: England v Brazil (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Papua New Guinea v Canada (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Wednesday, November 2: New Zealand v France (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); Australia v Cook Islands (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Saturday, November 5: England v Canada (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Papua New Guinea v Brazil (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Sunday, November 6: New Zealand v Cook Islands (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); Australia v France (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Wednesday, November 9: Canada v Brazil (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); England v Papua New Guinea (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Thursday, November 10: France v Cook Islands (BBC iPlayer, Red Button & BBC Sport Online); Australia v New Zealand (BBC iPlayer, Red Button & BBC Sport Online).
• Monday, November 14: Semi-final one (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); Semi-Final two (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Saturday, November 19: Final (BBC One, BBC iPlayer).

Wheelchair tournament:

There have been three previous Wheelchair Rugby League World Cups and France are back-to-back winners. This will be the first time eight teams are participating with Norway and the USA competing in the tournament for the first time.

• Thursday, November 3: Spain v Ireland (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); England v Australia (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Friday, November 4: France v Wales (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Scotland v USA (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Sunday, November 6: England v Spain (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Australia v Ireland (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Monday, November 7: France v Scotland (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); Wales v USA (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Wednesday, November 9: Australia v Spain (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); England v Ireland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Thursday, November 10: France v USA (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online); Wales v Scotland (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).
• Sunday, November 13: Semi-Final one (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer); Semi-final two (BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online).
• Friday, November 18: Final (BBC Two, BBC iPlayer).