The 2021 Rugby League World Cup volition beryllium postponed until 2022 contempt declarations the tourney would beryllium staged without the Australian and New Zealand teams, according to the PA quality agency.
An announcement regarding the postponement is imminent, PA reports.
World Cup officials initially vowed to spell up aft Australia and New Zealand pulled out, citing information concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic, making a nonstop plea to players to support the tourney alive.
However, the connection issued past week connected behalf of each 16 NRL clubs calling for the tourney to beryllium rescheduled, proved to beryllium the last nail successful the coffin.
World Cup organisers had opened talks with Indigenous and Maori representatives with a presumption to securing replacements for the Kangaroos and Kiwis but erstwhile the NRL re-scheduled the Women's NRL contention for October, successful nonstop absorption to the World Cup, organisers were near with nary prime but to look to adjacent year.
It's understood the UK Government, a large fiscal backer of the tournament, agreed it should beryllium enactment backmost 12 months and that proposal volition spell earlier an exigency World Cup committee meeting.
The expected announcement comes astir 2 months earlier the scheduled commencement and 3 weeks since organisers announced the tourney would spell up arsenic planned.
World Cup officials volition present person to find other backing to support the cognition successful spot until adjacent year.
The day of the 2022 tourney whitethorn alteration with officials looking to debar a clash with the FIFA World Cup successful Qatar from November 21 to December 18.
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