A list of men, women and wheelchair senior international rugby league matches played throughout 2025.
A denotes a match that did not contribute to the IRL World Rankings - i.e. not a senior international match (SIM) as designated by the International Rugby League (IRL).
The weekend of 25/26 October set a record for the most people attending international rugby league matches globally with 126,494; the bulk of the attendance came from the opening test of the Ashes and the men's/women's Pacific Cup second round double header. The record had been held by match week two of the 1957 Rugby League World Cup, where both games saw 86,655 in cumulative attendance.
The year was originally scheduled to contain the 2025 Rugby League World Cup, however was cancelled with and replaced by the 2026 Rugby League World Cup as a result of France withdrawing as hosts in 2023.
Season overview Men + Men's international tours Start date Touring side Region Results [Matches] 25 October 3–0 25 October 1–1 + Men's international friendlies Date Home team Away team Winners 22 February 28 February 4 October 4 October 11 October 12 October 19 October 26 October 2 November Cumbria Cumbria 4 November 22 November 23 November 6 December Cancelled + Men's international tournaments Start date Tournament Winners 11 October European Championship D 18 October European Championship C 18 October European Championship B 18 October Pacific Bowl 19 October Pacific Cup 25 October World Cup qualification Northern Hemisphere playoff 9 November World Cup qualification Southern Hemisphere playoff 27 NovemberAsian Championships
Women + Women's international tours Start date Touring side Region Results [Matches] 7 October 0–2 + Women's international friendlies Date Home team Away team Winners 28 February 1 March 12 July 3 August 9 August 4 October 4 October 1 November 23 November 6 December Cancelled 13 December + Women's international tournaments Start date Tournament Winners21 OctoberWorld Cup qualification, interconfederation playoff 18 October Pacific Bowl 19 October Pacific Cup
Wheelchair + Wheelchair international tours Start date Touring side Region Results [Matches] 30 October 2–0 + Wheelchair international friendlies Date Home team Away team Winners 18 October + Wheelchair international tournaments Start date Tournament Winners 24 May Celtic Cup
Rankings The following were the rankings at the beginning of the season. IRL Men's World RankingsOfficial rankings as of December 2024RankTeam11002863844 1635 1546 1537 1448309 223102211 12212 51813 21714 61315 11216 71217 41118 2919 1820 1821 2822 3723 4724 7725 1526 2527 5528 3529 4430 4431 10432433 2334 15335 5236237 7238 9239 5140 3141 2142 4143 1144 1045046 1047 3048 3049 8050051 1052 2053 2054 4055 9056 12057 90Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT IRL Women's World RankingsOfficial rankings as of December 2024RankTeam11002833554365296 1247 3198 1189 11710 41711 131412 111131114 21015 11016 10817 1818 2719 4720 8621 2522323324 1225 4226 92270Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT IRL Wheelchair World RankingsOfficial rankings as of December 2024RankTeam11002963 1554 1525476387 1278 1259510 10Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT
February France men v Morocco
USA v Greece double header
and men's teams had intended to play a second game two days prior on 26 February 18:00 kick-off at the same venue. The game was cancelled after copper cables were stolen from the floodlights leaving them inoperable. The men's and women's double header on the 28 February were brought forward by four hours as a result.
March
Australia women v England in the United States
This match was initially planned to be Test 1 of a three match women's Ashes series to be concluded in the autumn. Originally set to take place in Australia but later switched to England alongside the equivalent men's games. The match, which come the day of the fixture was no longer being described as part of the Ashes, saw a blowout 90–4 victory in Australia's favour. In the weeks that followed, criticism occurred as a result of the gulf in performance which highlighted the superior set up that women's rugby league had in Australia compared to England. No fixtures of the 2025 Women's Ashes were planned as of 26 March 2025, the date of announcement of the 2025 Men's Ashes; and in the months that followed, doubts emerged over the productiveness of contesting the remaining fixtures. The 2025 women's Ashes were officially confirmed as shelved in the International Rugby League's biannual ranking updates in July, with no mention of the proposed fixtures in their fixture preview for the next rankings cycle.
NB: Match played to Australia's 70 minute rule for women's rugby league.
May Celtic Cup (wheelchair)
July
Ireland women v France
August
Wales women v Scotland
Wales women v England
Brazil men v Manchester Metropolitan University
Canada women tour of Fiji
September British Army v Brazil men
October Italy v Lebanon double header in Australia
Netherlands v Ireland double header
Nigeria women v Ghana
This was intended to be a three match series however the first match, scheduled for 4 October at Rugby School Nigeria, Lagos, was cancelled due to a delay in the construction of the facility.
Poland men v Greece in Australia
Netherlands men v Ukraine
Men's European Championship
Euro B
Euro C
Euro D
France men v Australia A fixture between and on the weekend of 18/19 October had been proposed as a warm-up for both teams ahead of France's World Cup qualifier and Australia's Ashes Series. The game however was vetoed by Australia's Rugby League Players Association and was replaced with two joint training sessions in London.
2025 Pacific Championships
Men's Pacific Cup
Men's Pacific Bowl
Women's Pacific Cup NB: All matches played to Australia's 70 minute rule for women's rugby league.
Women's Pacific Bowl NB: All matches played to Australia's 70 minute rule for women's rugby league.
Scotland wheelchair v Ireland
Women's tri-series
Japan men v Niue
2026 Women's World Cup, interconfederation qualifying
2025 England wheelchair tour
2026 Men's World Cup, interconfederation qualifying – Northern Hemisphere playoff
2025 Kangaroo tour
Wales men v Ireland
Poland men v Czechia
New Zealand at the NRL Wheelchair Championship
31 October to 2 November finished 4th: Won 24–14 against Queensland Reserves Lost 10–24 against Queensland Lost 0–18 against New South Wales Lost 18–22 against Australian Capital Territory Won 50–6 against Victoria Won 36–6 against Affiliated States
November
Cumbria men v Nigeria
Niue men v South Africa in Australia
Team detailsNiueNumberPositionNumberSouth AfricaKore-Lee Perenara1 FB1Bevan De Vries (c)Tye Siakisoni2WG2Hughwan EngelbrechtMark Nosa3CE3Niel BeukesAlfred Smalley4CE4Brady McmillanTonga Tongotongo5WG5Skye AdamsAlex Seini (c)6SO6Matthew LucasThomas Siumaka7SH7Jason MakhariSimon Pati8PR8Frikkie JansenJayden Fereti9HK9Ammaar FurmieTJ Simi10PR10Kalum Gulliver-BrownSmith Tagavaimotu11SR11Marcelle CorneelsenEthan Mokoia12SR12Marcelle ViljoenTristan Alvarado13LF13Andrew De JagerVaughn Pahiva14IN14Luc LyndonJia Siakisoni15IN15Ethan SweetNoah Hetutu-Davis16IN16Marius GriebenowPhenix Kasimausi17IN17Petrus VenterSavu Folau18IN18Keegan TurnerWesley Lolo19IN19Matthew MpofuSione Tovo20IN20Jason Smith 21IN21Brynn Du Rand 22IN22Marcel Ford 23IN23Jakob Biet 24IN24Herchelle Classen 25IN25Brad Sparrow 26IN26Jaco Bezuidenhout 27IN27Cuba Cleaven-VanderlaakTooks JacksonHead CoachDaryl Fisher
2026 Men's World Cup, interconfederation qualifying – Southern Hemisphere playoff
Wales wheelchair v UK Armed Forces
Jamaica men v Canada
Ghana v Nigeria double header
Roots Rugby v Ghana
Roots Rugby are a cohort of USARL players of African and/or Caribbean heritage. The games on 26 November were originally scheduled to be against Nigeria for both men's and women's team.https://www.intrl.sport/article/475/ghana-and-nigeria-to-meet-in-doubleheader The women's fixture was replaced by an extra game against Ghana, while the men's game was replaced by a game against a "Ghana President's XIII" team.https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1aZLZSVzuL/
Asian Championship
Semi-finals
Third place play-off
Final
December
USA v Jamaica double header The double-header matches between the USA and Jamaica were cancelled due to the disruption in Jamaica caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Netherlands women v Greece
Notes
References