Following consultation with the competing nations and Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) organisers, the board of International Rugby League (IRL) has decided to postpone the Festival of World Cups (FOWC) which was scheduled to be held in England in June and July 2021.
The decision is based upon the uncertainty faced by nations trying to raise funds and organise their participation against the backdrop of the current pandemic.The FOWC was scheduled to include men’s student and defence forces competitions and a women’s emerging nations tournament.Nigel Wood, chief executive officer of IRL, said: ‘It is unfortunate but understandable that member nations are unable to fully commit to these competitions at this stage.