Rugby League World Cup 2017: All You Need To Know

Kiwis captain Adam Blair speaks to the media before tomorrow's World Cup opener against Samoa.

Rugby League World Cup 2017

When? 27 October - 2 December #RLWC2017
What? 28 Games - 14 Teams - 13 Venues - Five weeks - Three Countries
Where? New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea
Stay Up to Date: Follow live updates and keep up with all the latest news at www.nzherald.co.nz and the New Zealand Herald
Host Cities: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Port Moresby, Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Melbourne
How to Watch? Sky Sport will broadcast live coverage of all 28 RLWC2017 matches
Official Site: RLWC2017.com

Captains from the 2017 Rugby League World Cup pose beside The Paul Barriere Trophy.

Did You Know?
The Rugby League World Cup trophy is known as 'The Paul Barriere Trophy'
Named after the President of the FFR XIII - Federation Francaise de Rugby a XIII between 1947 to 1955, Paul was a driving force behind the creation of the International Rugby League Board and the first Rugby League World Cup in 1954.

The Paul Barriere Trophy. Photo / Getty Images.

Seven Games in New Zealand:

Auckland
New Zealand v Samoa
Mt Smart Stadium
28 October

Christchurch
New Zealand v Scotland
Christchurch Stadium
4 November

Hamilton
Tonga v Samoa
FMG Stadium Waikato
4 November

Hamilton
New Zealand v Tonga
FMG Stadium Waikato
11 November

Christchurch
Quarter Final
Christchurch Stadium
18 November

Wellington
Quarter Final
Wellington Regional Stadium
18 November

Auckland
Semi Final
Mt Smart Stadium
25 November

The Kiwis will play all of their group matches in New Zealand, including a match against Samoa, who they played in the 2013 World Cup. Photo / Getty Images.

RLWC 2017 Pool Groups

Pool A
Australia
England
France
Lebanon

Pool B
New Zealand
Scotland
Tonga
Samoa

Pool C
Papua New Guinea
Ireland
Wales

Pool D
Fiji
Italy
USA

RLWC2017 Official Draw

*Each team in Pool C & D will play one match against a team from the other pool in the preliminary rounds

*The top three teams from Pool A and Pool B advance along with the top sides from Pool C and Pool D

*Quarter Finals host cities are Christchurch, Darwin, Melbourne, and Wellington. Allocation of games to host cities will occur after the pool rounds

Pool A

27/10/17
Australia v England
Melbourne

29/10/17
France v Lebanon
Canberra

3/11/17
Australia v France
Canberra

4/11/17
England v Lebanon
Sydney

11/11/17
Australia v Lebanon
Sydney

12/11/17
England v France
Perth

Australia will face England in the World Cup opener in Melbourne tonight. Photo / Getty Images.

Pool B

28/10/17
New Zealand v Samoa
Auckland

29/10/17
Scotland v Tonga
Cairns

4/11/17
New Zealand v Scotland
Christchurch

4/11/17
Samoa v Tonga
Hamilton

11/11/17
Samoa v Scotland
Cairns

11/11/17
New Zealand v Tonga
Hamilton

Pool C

28/10/17
Papua New Guinea v Wales
Port Moresby

29/10/17
Ireland v Italy
Cairns

5/11/17
Papua New Guinea v Ireland
Port Moresby

5/11/17
Fiji v Wales
Townsville

12/11/17
Wales v Ireland
Perth

12/11/17
Papua New Guinea v USA
Port Moresby

Pool D

28/10/17
Fiji v USA
Townsville

5/11/17
Italy v USA
Townsville

10/11/17
Fiji v Italy
Canberra

Tournament Finals

Suncorp Stadium will host the World Cup final, as it did for the 2008 tournament. Photo / Photosport.

Quarter Final 1
17/11/17
1st in Group A v 3rd in Group B
Darwin

Quarter Final 2
18/11/17
2nd in Group B v 1st in Group D
Christchurch

Quarter Final 3
18/11/17
1st in Group B v 3rd in Group A
Wellington

Quarter Final 4
19/11/17
2nd in Group A v 1st in Group C
Melbourne

Semi Final 1
24/11/17
Winner of QF1 v Winner of QF2
Brisbane

Semi Final 2
25/11/17
Winner of QF3 v Winner of QF4
Auckland

FINAL
2/12/17
Winner of SF1 v Winner of SF2
Brisbane