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International Federation · Rugby League

IRL — International Rugby League

Rugby league's world governing body — the World Cup, the world rankings, and a sport whose power sits with its national leagues.
✓ Last reviewed: August 2026
RoleWorld governing body of rugby league
Founded1948 (as the RLIF); IRL since 2018
FlagshipRugby League World Cup (men’s, women’s & wheelchair)
RealityPower sits largely with the national leagues — the NRL above all

What is International Rugby League?

International Rugby League is the sport's world governing body — founded in 1948 as the Rugby League International Federation and renamed in 2018 — running the Rugby League World Cup in men's, women's and wheelchair formats plus the world rankings.[1] [2]

Why is it different from other federations?

Because real power in rugby league sits with the national leagues rather than the federation: the NRL commands the sport's money, calendar and best players, which makes the international game a negotiation rather than a hierarchy — an honest structural difference from, say, World Rugby's position in union.[2] [3]

References

  1. International Rugby League — official site. Accessed August 2026.
  2. NRL — official site. Accessed August 2026.
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica — Rugby league. Accessed August 2026.