European Rugby League
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The European Rugby League (ERL) (previously Rugby League European Federation (RLEF)) is the umbrella body for nations playing the sport of rugby league football across Europe.[1] In the absence of other continental federations, ERL also controls rugby league in North America the Middle East and Africa through its sub-branches Americas Rugby League and Middle East-Africa Rugby League.[2]
History
The federation was founded January 2003 following an initiative between Richard Lewis, Executive Chairman of Great Britain's Rugby Football League (RFL) and his French counterpart Jean Paul Ferre of the French Rugby League Federation (FFR).[3] The RLEF's first constitution was approved in January 2004 and the federation's first Board of Directors was elected.[3] This first Board of Directors consisted of Jean Paul Ferre as Chairman and Richard Lewis as Deputy Chairman, with Nigel Wood and Nicolas Larrat being the other Board members.[3] Representatives for Morocco, Italy, Serbia, Russia, Lebanon, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales attended.[3] Russia became a full member of the RLEF, joining Britain and France, and the RLIF soon after.[3]
At the time of its foundation, the RLEF placed a "particular emphasis on generating development funding within each country".[3] Historically, much of the development work conducted in Europe had been funded by the RFL.[4] Following the profitable 2008 World Cup, the RFL and RLEF prepared to bid for funds to enhance their activities.[4]
2004 saw the revival of the Rugby League European Championship, now ran by the RLEF.
In December 2009, Kevin Rudd, a former Scotland rugby league international, stepped down as Executive Officer of the RLEF after more than five years in the post.[5] RLEF Chairman Richard Lewis stated that Rudd "has done an outstanding job and created a platform, structure and competitions framework that can take us into the future".[5] Rudd was succeeded by Danny Kazandjian.[6] Kazandjian had previously been a key figure in the establishment of rugby league in Lebanon and had led the RLEF's development drive in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions as Director of Development for the Euro-Med region.[6]
In 2011, the RLEF introduced two sub-branches – Americas Rugby League and Middle East-Africa Rugby League – to further develop rugby league in those regions.[2]
In 2021, The RLEF was renamed to the European Rugby League in line with the RLIF's renaming to the International Rugby League.[7]
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Rugby League banned Russia from all international rugby league competitions.[8]
Competitions
| Competitions | Champion | Title |
|---|---|---|
| European Championship | File:Flag of France.svg France (2018) |
8th |
| European Championship B | File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia (2021) |
4th |
| European Championship C | File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece (2019) |
2nd |
| European Championship D | File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands (2021) |
1st |
| Under-19 European Championship | Template:Flagicon England (2024) |
2nd |
| Balkans Cup | File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia (2017) |
2nd |
| Nordic Cup | File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway (2017) |
3rd |
| Americas Championship | File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica (2018) |
1st |
| MEA Championship | File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria (2022) |
2nd |
ERL board
- As of 6 January 2025[9]
| Member | Representation | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Andrew (Chairman) | Independent Directors | Template:Flagicon England |
| Tatiana Doncaster | Template:Flagicon England | |
| Brian Juliff | Member Elected Director | Template:Flagicon Wales |
| Jim Reynolds | Template:Flagicon Ireland | |
| Ileana Iacopetti | Template:Flagicon Italy | |
| Alison O'Brien | RFL Appointed Director | Template:Flagicon England |
| Gilles Dumas | FFRXIII Appointed Director | Template:Flagicon France |
Membership
Currently eleven nations are full members of the federation; there are also fifteen affiliate members and nineteen official observers. Full members are entitled to a greater proportion of voting rights and to become members of the Rugby League International Federation.
In order to become an associate member, a nation must meet the following criteria:
- Implementation of a constitution and rules that commit the governing body to acting in the best interest of rugby league, throughout the whole of their country.[3]
- Production of an annual financial report.[3]
- Running a league competition with at least four teams.[3]
- Implementation of a junior development programme.[3]
- The production of a Business Development Plan outlining an organisation's future aims, including aims to find part funding for staff positions.[3]
- A communications strategy.[3]
- An administrators, match officials and coach education strategy.[3]
The ERL stipulates that continued associate and full membership of the federation is subject to a check every two years to ensure that the minimum criteria are still being met.[3]
Full members
| Association | National team | Founded | IRL affiliation |
ERL affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rugby Football League | File:Flag of England.svg England | 1895 | 1948 | 2003 |
| Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII | File:Flag of France.svg France | 1934 | 1948 | 2003 |
| Jamaica Rugby League Association | File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica | 2004 | 2013 | 2004 |
| Serbian Rugby League | File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia | 2004 | 2012 | 2004 |
| South African Rugby League | File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa | 1998 | 1998 | 2012 |
| Ukrainian Federation of Rugby League | File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine | 2008 | 2013 | 2013 |
| Wales Rugby League | File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Wales | 2005 | 2010 | 2010 |
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Affiliate members
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Official observers
- Template:Flagicon Albanian Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Belgium Rugby League Association
- Template:Flagicon Bosnia and Herzegovina Rugby League Association
- Template:Flagicon Bulgarian Rugby League Federation
- Template:Flagicon Burundi Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon DR Congo Rugby League XIII
- Template:Flagicon Dansk Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon El Salvador Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Ethiopia Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Hungarian Rugby League Federation
- Template:Flagicon Latvia Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Libya Rugby League Association
- Template:Flagicon Macedonian Rugby League[10]
- Template:Flagicon Montenegro Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Palestinian Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Polska Rugby XIII
- Template:Flagicon Saudi Arabian Rugby League Association
- Template:Flagicon Sierra Leone Rugby League
- Template:Flagicon Slovakia Rugby League[10]
- Template:Flagicon Sweden Rugby League
Former observer members
- Template:Flagicon Rugby League Association of Catalonia
- Template:Flagicon Federația Româna de Rugby XIII
- Template:Flagicon Trinidad & Tobago Rugby League Association
- Template:Flagicon Emirates Rugby League[11]
ERL national team results at World Cups
| Team | 1954 | 1957 | 1960 | 1968 | 1970 | 1972 | 1975 | 1977 | 1985-88 | 1989-92 | 1995 | 2000 | 2008 | 2013 | 2017 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | — | — | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of England.svg England | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2nd | — | — | — | 2nd | SF | SF | SF | 2nd | SF |
| File:Flag of France.svg France | 2nd | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | QF | GS | GS |
| File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Template:Country data GB | 1st | 2nd | 1st | GS | 2nd | 1st | — | 2nd | GS | 2nd | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | GS |
| File:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Four Provinces Flag.svg Ireland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | QF | QF | GS | GS | GS |
| File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | — | GS | GS | GS |
| File:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ | GS |
| File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | - |
| File:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | DNQ | DNQ | QF | QF |
| File:Flag of Malta.svg Malta | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ |
| ||||||||||||||||
| File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Ex |
| File:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | GS | QF | GS | GS |
| File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | GS | W | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ |
| File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNQ | DNQ | QF | GS | DNQ |
| File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg Wales | — | — | — | — | — | — | GS | — | — | — | SF | SF | DNQ | GS | GS | GS |
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Template:Legend inline Winner, Template:Legend inline 2nd place, Template:Legend inline Semi-finalist, Template:Legend inline Quarter-finalist, Template:Legend inline Group stage, Template:Legend inline Did not qualify, Template:Legend inline Withdrew, Template:Legend inline Expelled
See also
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References
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- ↑ https://europeanrugbyleague.com/erl/board
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External links
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