2023 international rugby league calendar, including every confirmed fixture and key dates
Here is the 2023 international rugby league calendar in full, including every confirmed fixture and key dates for the men’s and women’s test matches.
France withdrew from hosting the next World Cup in 2025 due to financial difficulties, with a new look campaign confirmed in the Southern Hemisphere for 2026.
The planned European Championships were axed in May, with just 10 men’s teams set to feature in 2026 alongside eight women’s and eight wheelchair teams.
However, the IRL have confirmed the return of the Ashes for 2025, with England men and women set to travel Down Under.
New Zealand and Australia will head north to play England in 2027 and 2028 respectively, with international tours for other nations back on the agenda.
England’s plans in 2023
England Women and Men defeated France respectively in a mid-season international double-header at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington. Both sides claimed 64-0 victories, with future fixtures confirmed.
Shaun Wane’s side played host to Tonga in an end of year series, with games taking place in St Helens, Huddersfield and Leeds. The final fixture will saw a double-header as England face Wales in a women’s international.
October 22 – England v Tonga (men), Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens
October 29 – England v Tonga (men), John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield
November 4 – England v Tonga (men), Headingley Stadium, Leeds, England v Wales (women), Headingley Stadium, Leeds
Pacific Championships
A first-ever Pacific Championships for the southern hemisphere nations were staged, taking place between October and November across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
The inaugural Pacific Championships involved six male sides – including the three host countries listed above – split across two pools of three. Australia, Samoa and New Zealand made up the first of those, with Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Cook Islands making up pool number two.
Week One – October 14-15
Australia v Samoa (men) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Australia v New Zealand (women) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
PNG v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Samoa v Fiji (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Two – October 21-22
New Zealand v Samoa (men) at Eden Park, Auckland
New Zealand v Tonga (women) at Eden Park, Auckland
Fiji v Cook Islands (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
PNG v Cook Islands (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Three – October 28-29
Australia v New Zealand (men) at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Australia v New Zealand (women) at AAMI Park, Melbourne
PNG v Fiji (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby
Week Four – November 4-5
The final of the men’s Pacific Cup tournament between Australia and New Zealand took place on November 4 in Hamilton, New Zealand.
The final of the men’s Pacific Bowl tournament between Papua New Guinea and Fiji was held on November 5 at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.
Other international fixtures confirmed
August 26 – Czech Republic v Serbia (men)
September 16 – Montenegro v Malta (men), Poland v Czech Republic (men)
September 23 – Malta v Bulgaria (men)
September 24 – Serbia v France (men)
September 30 – Netherlands v Norway (men)
October 7 – Netherlands v Albania (men), Italy v Malta (men)
October 14 – Netherlands v Serbia (men)
October 21 – Malta v Chile (men), Germany v Netherlands (men), North Macedonia v Poland (men)
October 28 – Philippines v Malta (men), Philippines v Malta (women), Czech Republic v Netherlands (men), Greece v Ukraine (men), Italy v South Africa (men)
October 29 – France v Wales (women), Greece v Ukraine (men)
November 1 – South Africa v Kenya (men)
November 3 – Nigeria v Ghana (women)
November 4 – Norway v Greece (men), Jamaica v USA (men), South Africa v Kenya (men), Norway v Greece (men), England v Wales (women), Germany v Poland (men)
November 5 – Nigeria v Ghana (women)
November 8 – South Africa v Kenya (men)
November 11 – Serbia v Greece (women), South Africa v Kenya (men)
November 25 – France v England (wheelchair)
December 2 – Kenya v France (men), Jamaica v USA (men)
December 5 – Kenya v France (men)
December 9 – Ghana v Nigeria (women), Greece v Netherlands (women)
December 16 – Kenya v Uganda (men), Kenya v Uganda (women)
December 20 – Uganda v Kenya (women)
December 23 – Uganda v Kenya (women)
Americas North Championships
September 23 – Jamaica v USA (women)
September 25 – USA v Canada (women)
September 27 – Canada v Jamaica (women)