List of rugby league competitions
The following is a list of rugby league competitions that are still currently in existence. This includes both international tournaments played by national Test teams and also domestic club and provincial competitions. Throughout the list bold indicates the league is a professional or semi-professional competition.
International tournaments[edit]
Global[edit]
Competition | Teams |
---|---|
Rugby League World Cup | ![]() |
Rugby League Four Nations | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
World Club Challenge | Winner of ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Continental[edit]
Regional[edit]
Competition | Teams |
---|---|
Balkans Cup | The Balkans |
Mediterranean Cup | Mediterranean Countries |
Nordic Cup | The Nordic Countries |
Pacific Rugby League International | Pacific Island Nations |
Caribbean Carnival Cup | The Caribbean |
Challenge Matches[edit]
Competition | Teams |
---|---|
Anzac Test | ![]() ![]() |
The Ashes | ![]() ![]() |
Colonial Cup | ![]() ![]() |
Griffin Cup | ![]() ![]() |
Hayne/Mannah Cup | ![]() ![]() (On-off match) |
Peter Leitch QSM Challenge | ![]() |
State of Origin series | ![]() ![]() |
War of the Roses | ![]() |
Domestic Leagues[edit]
Europe[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Bosnia & Herzegovina Championship | 1 | 2012 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
CZRLA First Division | 7 | 2011 | 1 |
CZRLA Second Division | 4 | 2011 | 2 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Danish Rugby League Championship | 2 | 2013 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Balkan Super League | 1 | 2018 | 1 |
Trophy of the Elite One Championship
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Elite One Championship | 10 | 1931 | 1 |
Elite Two Championship | 10 | 1982 | 2 |
National Division 1 | 14 | 1976 | 3 |
National Division 2 | 22 | 1978 | 4 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() |
12 | 1996 | 1 |
![]() ![]() |
14 | 2003 | 2 |
![]() ![]() |
11 | 2003 | 3 |
![]() ![]() |
Various[d] | 1986 | 4 |
![]() ![]() |
12 | 2012 | |
![]() |
5 | 1997 | |
![]() |
Various | Various | 5 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Irish Elite League | 4 | 2001 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Italia Rugby Football League | 3 | 2010 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Dutch Rugby League Competition | 5 | 2014 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Norge National Championship | 5 | 2010 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Russian Championship | 9 | 1991 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Serbian Championship | 8 | 2002 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Campeonato Nacional de Liga | 6 | 2014 | 1 |
Catalan Rugby League Championship | 9 | 2009 | 2 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Sweden Super League | 3 | 2011 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Ukraine Super League | 7 | 2012 | 1 |
Australia and Pacific[edit]

The NRL Grand Final trophy
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() |
17 | 1998 | 1 |
![]() |
14 | 1908 | 2 |
![]() |
14 | 1996 | |
![]() |
42 | 2020 | 3 |
![]() |
11 | 2001 | |
![]() |
17 | 1948 | |
![]() |
17 | 2001 | |
![]() |
6 | 1951 | |
![]() |
5 | 1952 | |
![]() |
9 | 1982 | |
NSWRL/CRL Competitions | 400+ | 1908 | 4 |
Queensland Rugby League Competitions | 200+ | 1908 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Cook Islands League | 7 | 1994 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Fiji National Rugby League | 14 | 2010 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
NZRL National Competition | 7 | 2010 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Papua New Guinea National Rugby League | 12 | 1990 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Tongan National Rugby League | 12 | 1988 | 1 |
Africa[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Rhino Cup | 4 | 2011 | 1 |
Protea Cup | 10 | 2013 | 2 |
Western Province Rugby League | 5 | 2012 | 3 |
Jan Prinsloo Cup | ? | 2019 |
Asia and the Middle East[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Lebanon Championship | 10 | 2002 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Philippines National Rugby League | 4 | 2013 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Thailand Rugby League Premiership | 6 | 2014 | 1 |
The Americas[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
TOP 1 - Brazilian Rugby League 13-a-side Championship | 8 | 2019 | 1 |
TOP 2 - Brazilian Rugby League 13-a-side Second Division Championship | 4 | 2019 | 2 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
6 | 2012 | 2 |
![]() |
3 | 2010 | |
![]() |
3 | 2019 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Jamaica National League | 8 | 2005 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
USA Rugby League (USARL) | 9 | 2011 | 1 |
California Rugby League (CRL) | 5 | 2018 | 2 |
Midwest Rugby League (MRL) | 2 | 2009 | 2 |
Domestic Cups[edit]
The trophy of the World Club Challenge
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
World Club Challenge | 2 | 1976 | Champions of NRL and Super League |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
NRL State Championship | 2 | 2014 | Champions of New South Wales Cup and Queensland Cup |
The Lord Derby Cup trophy
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
Lord Derby Cup | 1934 |

The Challenge Cup trophy
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
Challenge Cup[h] | 80 | 1896 | All Teams |
1895 Cup | 20 | 2019 | Tiers 2 and 3 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
Copa España | 6 | 2013 | 1 |
Women's Rugby League[edit]
International tournaments[edit]
International[edit]
Competition | Criteria |
---|---|
Women's Rugby League World Cup | Global |
Continental[edit]
Competition | Teams |
---|---|
Women's Rugby League European Championship | ![]() |
Women's Rugby League European Championship B | |
South American Rugby League Championship | ‹See Tfd›![]() |
Domestic Leagues[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
NRL Women's Premiership | 6 | 2018 | 1 |
Brisbane and District Women's Rugby League | 12 | 2004 | 2 |
Nellie Doherty Cup | 2 | 1999 | 1 |
Sydney Metropolitan Women's Rugby League | 12 | 2005 | 2 |
Tarsha Gale Nines | 12 | 2016 | 3 |
Women's All Stars Match | 2 | 2011 | 1 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
RFL Women's Super League | 12 | 2017 | 1 |
RFL Women's Super League South | 7 | 2021 | |
RFL Women's Championship | 2017 | 2 | |
RFL Women's League 1 | 2017 | 3 |
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
PNG Womens Rugby League | 10 | 1990 | 1 |
Domestic Cups[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
RFL Women's Challenge Cup | All Teams |
Wheelchair Rugby League[edit]
International tournaments[edit]
International[edit]
Competition | Criteria |
---|---|
Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup | Global |
Continental[edit]
Competition | Criteria |
---|---|
Wheelchair Rugby League European Championship | ![]() |
Domestic Leagues[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Tier |
---|---|---|---|
RFL Wheelchair Super League |
Domestic Cups[edit]
Competition | Teams | Instituted | Criteria |
---|---|---|---|
RFL Wheelchair Challenge Cup | 2016 | All Teams |
Nines tournaments[edit]
International[edit]
Australia[edit]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ The Super League and lower division are British competitions ran by the RFL. Despite this foreign teams do compete in these competition. For a list of Non-British clubs that currently compete in these competition see here.
- ^ Successor to Rugby Football League Championship First Division instituted in 1895.
- ^ Successor to Rugby Football League Championship Second Division instituted in 1902.
- ^ 4 divisions: 12 in Premier Division, Division One, and Division Two. 14 in Division Three.
- ^ Includes: Yorkshire League, North West League, Cumbria League, Barrow & District League, North East League, Pennine Championship, Hull & District League, Midlands League, South West League, East League, London & South East League, South Premier, North Wales Conference, South Wales Premiership, Scottish Conference League.
- ^ The National Rugby League is an Australian competitions ran by the ARL. Despite this a foreign team does compete in this competition – New Zealand's New Zealand Warriors.
- ^ The Queensland Cup is an Australian competitions ran by the QRL, a state governing body within the ARL. Despite this a foreign team does compete in this competition – Papua New Guinea's Papua New Guinea Hunters.
- ^ The Challenge Cup has also seen teams from Ireland, France, Russia, and Serbia compete in the competition.
References[edit]
External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rugby league competitions.