World Cup handed to UK

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A decision was made at a meeting of the RFIF in Singapore to discuss the future of the international calendar.

Australia had been interested in hosting the event again after the success of the 2008 tournament but it will now return to the UK, which last staged it in 2000. Richard Lewis, the deputy chairman of the RLIF and executive chairman of the Rugby Football League, said: "It is a great boost for rugby league in the northern hemisphere to secure the World Cup in 2013."

He added: "I thought that the 2008 tournament was an outstanding success and our goal is to build on that success and to deliver a profitable tournament that further enhances the international prestige of rugby league."

The 2008 World Cup attracted combined crowds of 290,000 and a global television audience of 19.2million, making it the most widely broadcast event in the game's history.

The tournament also proved a commercial success, delivering a profit and re-establishing the credibility of the competition after the loss-making event of 2000.

The RLIF considered 2012 but, as expected, opted for 2013 to avoid a clash with the London Olympics. Plans have also been made to broaden the base of the international game.

It has been confirmed the winners of this autumn's Pacific Cup between Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea will be awarded a place in the 2010 Four Nations.

The Four Nations, which this season includes France alongside England, Australia and New Zealand and will be played in Europe, takes place Down Under in 2010. The European Nations Cup which will involve France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will also be developed.

Further Four Nations tournaments have been confirmed for England in 2011 and Australia in 2014 with no event in 2012 to ease workload on players ahead of a World Cup year.