2017 RLWC Draw & Pools
The 14 national teams involved in the tournament will together play a total of 28 matches starting from the group stage matches and progressing to the knockout stage matches, with teams to be eliminated through the various progressive stages.
All times listed are in respect to local time zones. The first two groups are made up of four teams whilst the other two groups feature three teams each. The top three teams in the first two groups and the winners of the two smaller groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. Group play will involve a round robin in the larger groups, and a round robin in the smaller groups with an additional inter-group game for each team so all teams will play three group games.
Pool A – Australia, England, France, Lebanon
Pool B – New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga
Pool C – PNG, Wales, Ireland
Pool D – Fiji, USA, Italy
Fri, Oct 27 – Australia v England AAMI Park, Melbourne (A)
Sat, Oct 28 – PNG v Wales NFS, Port Moresby (C), New Zealand v Samoa Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland (B), Fiji v USA 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville (D)
Sun, Oct 29 – Scotland v Tonga Barlow Park, Cairns (B), France v Lebanon GIO Stadium, Canberra (A), Ireland v Italy Barlow Park, Cairns (C v D)
Fri, Nov 3 – Australia v France GIO Stadium, Canberra (A)
Sat, Nov 4 – England v Lebanon Allianz Stadium, Sydney (A), New Zealand v Scotland AMI Stadium, Christchurch (B), Samoa v Tonga FMG Stadium, Hamilton (B)
Sun, Nov 5 – PNG v Ireland NFS, Port Moresby (C), Italy v USA 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville (D), Fiji v Wales 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville (C v D)
Fri, Nov 10 – Fiji v Italy GIO Stadium, Canberra (D)
Sat, Nov 11 – Australia v Lebanon Allianz Stadium, Sydney (A), Samoa v Scotland Barlow Park, Cairns (B), New Zealand v Tonga FMG Stadium, Hamilton (B)
Sun, Nov 12 – PNG v USA NFS, Port Moresby (C v D), Wales v Ireland nib Stadium, Perth (C), England v France nib Stadium, Perth (A).
Knockout stage
Quarterfinals will follow the group stage, with three teams from each of Groups A and B and one team from each of Groups C and D qualifying.
All quarterfinalists will automatically qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
Quarterfinals
Fri, Nov 17 – A1 v B3 TIO Stadium, Darwin;
Sat, Nov 18 – B2 v D1 AMI Stadium, Christchurch;
Sat, Nov 18 – B1 v A3 Westpac Stadium, Wellington;
Sun, Nov 19 – A2 v C1 AAMI Park, Melbourne
Semifinals
Fri, Nov 24 – QF1 Winner v QF2 Winner Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane;
Sat, Nov 25 – QF3 Winner v QF4 Winner Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Final
Sat, Dec 2 – SF1 Winner v SF2 Winner Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane