Countries call for IRL changes
By JOHN DAVIDSON
A GROUP of 16 nations has sent an official letter to International Rugby League (IRL) and European Rugby League (ERL) demanding changes to the global governing body’s governance, rankings and division system.
The group of countries, which includes Brazil, Spain, the United States, Malta, Canada, Macedonia, Sweden and Poland, are concerned about the direction of the sport around the world after the cancellation of the 2025 World Cup in France, its deferment to an as yet unknown location in 2026 and the reduction in numbers from 16 to ten teams.
In the private letter, seen by League Express and sent last month, the 16 nations have proposed major changes to the IRL board to allow for wider representation and greater diversity.
The letter states: “The IRL was created as a joint governing body between traditional rugby nations. Board representation favours a majority of the founding RL nations, despite the growing membership, with no guaranteed representation beyond the original heartland areas.