Old Trafford to host the final of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup
Arsenal's Emirates Stadium to host one of the semi-finals and England's group matches to be in Newcastle, Sheffield and Bolton
OLD TRAFFORD will host the final of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
And Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will host the 13-a-side code for the first time when it plays host to one of the semi-finals.
Bosses revealed where matches in the 16-team tournament, along with the women’s and wheelchair competitions, will be held this morning.
And the home of Manchester United has beaten off the competition to land the showpiece, just as it did in 2013.
The game will also spread to Middlesbrough when the Riverside Stadium holds what is termed a ‘significant men’s group game.’
England’s group matches after they went agonisingly close to winning the last tournament Down Under will take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park, the opening match of the tournament, Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane and Bolton’s University of Bolton Stadium.
Liverpool’s Anfield will hold a marquee quarter-final, along with Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium, Hull’s KCOM Stadium and Bolton.
Arsenal will hold one of the semi-finals with the other at Leeds United’s Elland Road before the men’s and women’s finals are held as a double-header at Old Trafford, just as they were in Brisbane in 2017.
Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena will host the wheelchair final while the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield will host the semi-finals.
London’s Copper Box Arena will also be the venue for England’s group games.
St Helens, Warrington, Leigh, Doncaster, Headingley in Leeds and Workington are the rugby league club venues to have landed matches after 40 venues submitted bids - but Wigan's DW Stadium and Salford's AJ Bell are not on the list.
While Coventry’s Ricoh Arena will also host one men’s game, with one of Jamaica’s matches a possibility.
Rumours a match will be held at rugby union headquarters Twickenham have been dashed while Wembley, The London Stadium and Tottenham’s new ground have also been overlooked.
Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of the Rugby League World Cup 2021, said: “Each and every host now has the opportunity to galvanise and inspire their respective communities ahead of the competing nations arriving in England.
“With all three tournaments running concurrently, RLWC2021 will give the chance for people across the country to engage in a variety of ways and really look forward to October and November 2021.
“This was an incredibly tough process given the large number of interested parties and the impressive nature of their bids. With so many competitive bids, we’re confident that our chosen hosts will help play a role in delivering the greatest, and most inclusive, Rugby League World Cup of all time.”
The draw for the 2021 World Cup will be held on November 27.