Rugby League European Championship

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox sports league

The Rugby League European Championship (formerly known as the European Cup and European Nations Cup) is a rugby league football tournament for European national teams that was first held in 1935.

Originally, the European Cup had three teams, with England, Wales and France each playing each other once. Unlike the Tri-Nations series, there was no final; the team finishing at the top of the group was deemed the winner. From 1949 to 1956, a fourth Other Nationalities team entered the European Cup.

In 2003 the tournament rights were acquired by the European Rugby League and saw an expansion of the tournament reflecting the then recent growth of the sport across Europe.

History

1935–1996: Original competition

The French captain, Georges Ailleres, carried on his teammates' shoulders after a win against England during the 1969-70 tournament.

The Rugby League European Championships was originally a tri-nations tournament between England, Wales, and France playing each other in a single round robin. The tournament was played annually, with the exception of the years of the Second World War.

In 1946–47, the tournament was altered, with each team playing each other twice, home and away.

The 1949–50 tournament saw return to single round robin format. The tournament also saw the Other Nationalities team brought out of hiatus for the first time since the 1930s. This team consisted of players who were not English, Welsh, or French playing in the British and French leagues.

The 1955–56 tournament had no Welsh team, though Welsh players featured for Other Nationalities.

The tournament was not played again until 1969–70, and not again until 1975 with the original three-team format.

The tournament stayed as part of the calendar until 1981 where it was again cancelled thereafter, but saw a final revival in 1995 and 1996.

2003–2006: Nations Cup era and RLEF control

In 2003, the Rugby League European Federation gained rights to the tournament and revived it under the name European Nations Cup.<ref name="ERL">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This saw the addition of Scotland, Ireland, and Russia with teams being split into two groups of three with the group winners competing in the final. The same format and teams featured in 2004.

The 2005 tournament saw England withdraw as a result of reduced competitiveness of the expanded tournament. A qualification tournament was held to find a team to replace England which saw Georgia beat Serbia and the Netherlands to earn the place.

The tournament again when on hiatus with plans to reform the top tier. 2006 saw the introduction of a B and C tournament as a result of the increased number of rugby league playering nations in Europe.<ref name="ERL" />

2009–2018: European Cup era

The tournament returned in 2009 under the name European Cup under the same format as 2006 but with Serbia and Italy replacing Russia and Georgia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> France were absence from the 2009 edition due being invited to the 2009 Rugby League Four Nations.<ref name="news1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Poor performance from both newcomers would see the 2010 tournament reduced to four teams: France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales under a single round robin reminiscent of the original tournament and played every two years. Wales won the tournament, thus qualified for the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations.

The 2012 tournament provided problems for the new biennial schedule. France and Wales opted out of the tournament, wanting stronger tests in preparation for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and arranged a separate tri-nations tournament with England. Italy and England reserves were asked to replace France and Wales though travel issues prevented Italy from participating. England reserves won the tournament.

The usual format was restored for the 2014 tournament which was won by Scotland, who as a result qualified for the 2016 Rugby League Four Nations. Learning from 2012, the 2016 tournament was held a year prior so as to not interfere with preparations for the 2017 World Cup.

The 2018 tournament acted as the 2021 Men's Rugby League World Cup European qualification tournament.

2020–present: Competition reformat and continuous cancellations

The Rugby League European Federation announced changes for the 2020 tournament with promotion and relegation between each tier of the tournament for first and last place teams respectfully. The tournament was also expanded to include a D tier as well. The 2020 European Championship was to consist of six teams with one team being relegated to Euro B. In July 2020, the 2020 edition of the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The next tournament, scheduled for 2022 but pushed back to 2023 due to the postponement of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was also cancelled due to the late withdrawal of France hosting the 2025 Rugby League World Cup as it could no longer be used as the European qualification tournament.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This edition was set to feature a mass expansion of the tournament, featuring eight teams and the return of England. This edition would have also seen Euro C and D cancelled due to all teams moving up divisions in the expanded tournament.<ref name="europeanrugbyleague">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2025, the European Rugby League (ERL) announced the return of the tournament for Euro B, C, and D, with the competition returning to a three team per division competition. Competing nations were reseeded based off rank, with the 2025 and 2026 tournaments confirmed. The ERL stated its aim to restart Euro A in 2027 following the 2026 Men's Rugby League World Cup, with the top European teams unable to join earlier due to commitments in the qualification tournament for the World Cup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Team appearances

Team Appearances Debut Most recent Best result
Template:Rl 32 1935 2023 Template:Sort (Template:Tooltip)
Template:Rl 32 1935 2023 Template:Sort (Template:Tooltip)
Template:Rl 30 1935 2023 Template:Sort (Template:Tooltip)
Template:Rl 9 2003 2023 Template:Sort (2014)
Template:Rl 9 2003 2023 Template:Sort (2004, 2012)
Other Nationalities 6 1949–50 1955–56 Template:Sort (1952–53, 1955–56)
Template:Rl 3 2003 2005 Template:Sort (2003, 2004, 2005)
Template:Rl 2 2009 2023 Template:Sort (2009)
Template:Rl 1 2005 2005 Template:Sort (2005)
Template:Rl 1 2009 2009 Template:Sort (2009)
Template:Flagicon England Knights 1 2012 2012 Template:Sort (2012)
Template:Rl 1 2023 2023 TBA
Template:Rl 1 2023 2023 TBA

Results

Championship era (1935–1996)

Season Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
1935 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1935–36 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1936–37 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1938 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1938–39 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1945–46 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1946–47 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1947–48 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1948–49 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1949–50 Template:Rl-big Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
1950–51 Template:Rl-big Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
1951–52 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big
1952–53 Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
1953–54 Template:Rl-big Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
1955–56 Other Nationalities Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1969–70 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1975 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1977 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1978 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1979 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1980 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1981 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1995 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
1996 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —

Nations Cup era (2003–2005)

Season Champions Final Score Runners-up Group runners-up
2003 Template:Rl-big 68–6 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2004 Template:Rl-big 36–12 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2005 Template:Rl-big 38–16 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big

European Cup era (2009–2018)

Season Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
2009 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2010 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2012 Template:Flagicon
England Knights 		Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big —
2014 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2015 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big
2018 Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big Template:Rl-big

Summary

Champions Count Years
Template:Flagicon England 14 1935, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1969–70, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1996, 2003, 2004
Template:Flagicon France 9 1938–39, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1977, 1981, 2005, 2011, 2018
Template:Flagicon Wales 7 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938, 1995, 2009, 2010, 2015
Other Nationalities 2 1952–53, 1955–56
Template:Flagicon England Knights 1 2012
Template:Flagicon Scotland 1 2014


See also

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Notes

Template:Noteslist

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Enc Template:Rugby League in Europe Template:International Rugby League

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