Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, has urged organisers of the Rugby League World Cup to strike a deal to keep the competition on free-to-air television.
Subscription channel Premier Sports has struck a deal for the exclusive broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom for this autumn’s tournaments in Australia, with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair World Cups held simultaneously.
The previous editions had been shown on the BBC, which has a long-standing relationship with the sport. The national broadcaster shows games from Super League and the Challenge Cup, and aired last year’s Ashes series.
While Premier Sports also operated as lead broadcaster for the 2013 and 2017 men’s tournaments, the BBC showed some matches at each event, and Nandy believes a similar deal must be struck to ensure visibility.
“Rugby league is a source of pride and identity that brings communities together across the country,” the culture secretary and MP for Wigan said. “As a fan myself, I wholeheartedly share fans’ disappointment that the upcoming World Cup will not be on free-to-air television.
“I urge the International Rugby League to work with UK free-to-air broadcasters, so the millions of fans can follow the tournament.”
All 61 matches from the 2021 tournament, held in England in 2022, were shown by the BBC.
A joint World Cup event had been due to be hosted by France in 2025 only to be postponed after organisers pulled out. Australia has stepped in to lead host, with some games held in Papua New Guinea and Christchurch, New Zealand.
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