IRL World Rankings: June 30, 2025

England could leapfrog New Zealand into second place in the IRL World Rankings if they win the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.

The latest instalment of the IRL World Rankings has been released and while there was little movement of note up to June 30, 2025, that is set to change with a packed international calendar of men’s, women’s and wheelchair fixtures scheduled for later in the year.

The headline event is the first Ashes series since 2003 between England and Australia, who will play at Wembley on October 25, Everton Stadium on November 1 and Headingley Stadium on November 8.

The Kangaroos remain No.1 in the Men’s IRL World Rankings, along with the Jillaroos, who defeated England 90-4 in Las Vegas on March 1, and England Wheelchair.

However, with adjustments for the COVID period in which little international rugby league was played in the Southern Hemisphere having now expired, the margin between the second-placed Kiwis and third-placed England team is narrowing.

With the Kiwis failing to make the final of last year’s Pacific Cup, an Ashes series win could propel England into second spot ahead of the 2026 IRL Rugby League World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

A 3-0 series win, with a big margin in each match, may even lift England to the No.1 ranking.

The Kangaroos will not take part in the 2025 Pacific Championships, with New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga to contest a mouthwatering Pacific Cup and Cook Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea playing for the Pacific Bowl.

Cook Islands will also meet South Africa in Australia and France will host Jamaica in World Cup qualifiers, with the winners advancing to RLWC2026.

The final Women’s World Cup berth will be determined at the inaugural IRL Women’s Rugby League World Series in Canada, with the Ravens playing Fiji and Ireland meeting Nigeria in a double-header at Terry Fox Stadium, Brampton on October 21.

The winners will meet in a play-off for the eighth place at RLWC2026 on October 26.

After winning qualifying for the World Cup and winning last year’s Women’s Pacific Cup promotion-relegation match against the PNG Orchids, Fetu Samoa will join Australia and New Zealand in this year’s tournament.

Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and Tonga will play in the Women’s Pacific Bowl.

World champions England will tour Australia for the first time in six years, facing the fourth ranked Wheelaroos in a two-match Ashes series in October and November. Although Australia has never beaten the current number one ranked nation, they have incrementally closed the score margin in each successive game and will be using the tour as a benchmark prior to next year's world cup.

Other fixtures announced for later this year include Scotland Women's international debut on August 3 against Wales, who host England a week later. Scotland also face Jamaica later in the year.

Jamaica and the United States have announced a men's and women's double-header, as have Ghana and Nigeria.

The following Men's European Championships fixtures have also been announced:

Euro B

• Malta v Netherlands
• Netherlands v Serbia
• Serbia v Malta

Euro C

• Italy v Ukraine
• Ukraine v Greece
• Italy v Greece

Euro D

• Czechia v Norway
• Czechia v Germany
• Germany v Norway 

The IRL World Rankings are determined by the following criteria:

• Teams are awarded ranking points each time they play a sanctioned international fixture.
• Result and margin: The bigger the win, the more points the winning team receives, and the fewer points are awarded to the loser.
• Strength of opponent: The higher the ranking of the opponent the greater the weighting of the result.
• Importance of the match: Games in official competition are weighted higher than bi-lateral arranged games. Rugby League World Cup games carry the greatest weighting.
• More recent games are weighted higher than older games.

The rankings reward teams who are active and win games.

Men

France have consolidated eighth position after February’s 34-10 defeat of Morocco, who have climbed from the bottom of the rankings to 35th place after playing their first international since 2019.

Greece remain in 15th spot after beating USA 46-10 in Las Vegas on February 28 in the only other men’s international in the first six months of 2025. USA move from 24th to 20th by virtue of playing.

Women

England have not dropped from third place but have slipped further below Australia and New Zealand after their heavy defeat by the Jillaroos at Allegiant Stadium.

USA have climbed from 14th to 12th spot after beating Greece 46-0 in Las Vegas. Greece remain 8th.

France’s 34-4 defeat of Ireland on July 12 did not contribute to the latest rankings as only fixtures played before June 30 are included.

Wheelchair

Ireland have consolidated themselves as the third ranked team behind England and France after winning the 2025 Celtic Cup. Ireland beat Wales 66-10 and Scotland 92-20. Wales, who beat Scotland 62-54 remain fifth. Scotland are sixth.