National team appearances at Rugby League World Cups
# National team appearances at Rugby League World Cups

This article shows all the teams that have participated in the Rugby League World Cup and the results of those teams.

## Team appearances by tournament

### 1954–1992: group format

**Legend**

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* GS – Group stage
* – Hosts

| Team | 1954 | 1957 | 1960 | 1968 | 1970 | 1972 | 1975 | 1977 | 1985-88 | 1989-92 | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Australia | GS | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 10 |
| England | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2nd | — | — | — | 1 |
| France | 2nd | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 10 |
| Great Britain | 1st | 2nd | 1st | GS | 2nd | 1st | — | 2nd | GS | 2nd | 9 |
| New Zealand | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | 10 |
| Papua New Guinea | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | GS | 2 |
| Wales | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | — | — | — | 1 |

### 1995–onwards: knockout format

**Legend**

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* SF – Semi-final
* QF – Quarterfinals (knockout round of 8)
* R1 – Round 1 (group stage)
* •• – Was not invited to qualifying
* • – Did not qualify
* – Hosts

| Team | 1995 | 2000 | 2008 | 2013 | 2017 | 2021 | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Australia | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 16 |
| Cook Islands | •• | R1 | • | R1 | • | R1 | 3 |
| England | 2nd | SF | SF | SF | 2nd | SF | 7 |
| Fiji | R1 | R1 | SF | SF | SF | QF | 6 |
| France | R1 | QF | R1 | QF | R1 | R1 | 16 |
| Greece | •• | •• | •• | •• | • | R1 | 1 |
| Ireland | •• | QF | QF | R1 | R1 | R1 | 5 |
| Italy | •• | • | •• | R1 | R1 | R1 | 3 |
| Jamaica | •• | •• | •• | • | • | R1 | 1 |
| Lebanon | •• | R1 | • | • | QF | QF | 3 |
| New Zealand | SF | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | QF | SF | 16 |
| Aotearoa Māori^ | •• | R1 | •• | •• | •• | •• | 1 |
| Papua New Guinea | R1 | QF | R1 | R1 | QF | QF | 8 |
| Russia | •• | R1 | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Samoa | R1 | QF | R1 | QF | QF | 2nd | 6 |
| Scotland | •• | R1 | R1 | QF | R1 | R1 | 5 |
| South Africa | R1 | R1 | •• | • | • | • | 2 |
| Tonga | R1 | R1 | R1 | R1 | SF | QF | 6 |
| United States | •• | • | • | QF | R1 | • | 2 |
| Wales | SF | SF | • | R1 | R1 | R1 | 6 |

^ - Aotearoa Māori weren't a national team, but a representative side made up of players with Māori heritage.

## Team appearances by continent

| Continent | 1995 | 2000 | 2008 | 2013 | 2017 | 2021 | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Africa | 1 | 1 | | | | | 2 |
| Americas | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Asia | | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Europe | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 32 |
| Oceania | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 38 |

## Team debuts

19 teams have participated in the World Cup. Between 1954 and 1972 and 1977 to 1992, England, Wales and Scotland were represented by Great Britain. From 1995 onwards Great Britain only played in test series and England, Scotland and Wales all represented themselves at major tournaments.

| Year | Nation(s) | Total | Cumulative total |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1954 | Great Britain France Australia New Zealand | 4 | 4 |
| 1957 | None | 0 | |
| 1960 | None | 0 | |
| 1968 | None | 0 | |
| 1970 | None | 0 | |
| 1972 | None | 0 | |
| 1975 | Wales England | 2 | 6 |
| 1977 | None | 0 | |
| 1985-88 | Papua New Guinea | 1 | 7 |
| 1989-92 | None | 0 | |
| 1995 | Fiji South Africa Tonga Samoa | 4 | 11 |
| 2000 | Cook Islands Lebanon Ireland Russia Scotland Aotearoa Māori | 6 | 17 |
| 2008 | None | 0 | |
| 2013 | Italy United States | 2 | 19 |
| 2017 | None | 0 | |
| 2021 | Greece Jamaica | 2 | 21 |

## Results of host nations

Only Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain have won the World Cup. England hosted the 1960 and 1970 editions of the World Cup but were represented as part of Great Britain until 1995

| Year | Host nation | Finish |
| - | - | - |
| 1954 | France | Runners Up |
| 1957 | Australia | Champions |
| 1960 | England | Did not enter |
| 1968 | Australia | Champions |
| 1968 | New Zealand | 4th |
| 1970 | England | Did not enter |
| 1972 | France | 3rd |
| 1975 | Multiple | N/A |
| 1977 | Australia | Champions |
| 1977 | New Zealand | 3rd |
| 1985-88 | Multiple | N/A |
| 1989-92 | Multiple | N/A |
| 1995 | England | Runners Up |
| 2000 | England | Semi-final |
| 2000 | Scotland | Group stage |
| 2000 | Wales | Quarter-final |
| 2000 | Ireland | Quarter-final |
| 2000 | France | Quarter-final |
| 2008 | Australia | Runners Up |
| 2013 | England | Semi-final |
| 2013 | Wales | Group stage |
| 2013 | France | Quarter-final |
| 2013 | Ireland | Group Stage |
| 2017 | Australia | Champions |
| 2017 | New Zealand | Quarter-final |
| 2017 | Papua New Guinea | Quarter-final |
| 2021 | England | Semi-final |

## Results of defending champions and runners-up

The defending World Cup champions and runners-up have always automatically qualified for the following event. However, just once has the champion not played in the following edition. That was in 1975, when England and Wales took Great Britain's place.

| Year | Defending champions | Finish | Defending runners-up | Finish |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1957 | Great Britain | Runners-up | France | 4th place |
| 1960 | Australia | Runners-up | Great Britain | Champions |
| 1968 | Great Britain | 3rd Place | Australia | Champions |
| 1970 | Australia | Champions | France | 3rd Place |
| 1972 | Australia | Runners-up | Great Britain | Champions |
| 1975 | Great Britain | Did not enter | Australia | Champions |
| 1977 | Australia | Champions | England | Did not enter |
| 1985–1988 | Australia | Champions | Great Britain | 3rd Place |
| 1989–1992 | Australia | Champions | New Zealand | 3rd Place |
| 1995 | Australia | Champions | Great Britain | Did not enter |
| 2000 | Australia | Champions | England | Semi-finals |
| 2008 | Australia | Runners-up | New Zealand | Champions |
| 2013 | New Zealand | Runners-up | Australia | Champions |
| 2017 | Australia | Champions | New Zealand | Quarter-finals |
| 2021 | Australia | Champions | England | Semi-finals |

## Droughts

This section is a list of droughts associated with the participation of national rugby league in Rugby League World Cups.

### Longest active World Cup appearance droughts

Does not include teams that have not yet made their first appearance or teams that no longer exist. Updated until qualification of the 2021 World Cup.

| Team | Last appearance | WC Missed |
| - | - | - |
| South Africa | 2000 | 4 |
| Russia | 2000 | 4 |
| United States | 2017 | 1 |
