SPAIN PLACED IN EURO A FOR 2020

The draw will take place in Serbia on Friday evening (7pm, CET 8pm) for the expanded men’s 2020 European Championships, which will feature four levels of competition for the first time.

In the senior Championship, holders France will join Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Italy and for the first time, Spain, with the final most likely being held – in France, on the 7th or 8th November and relegation to European Championship B introduced.

The nations will be drawn into two groups of three, which will culminate with the group winners playing against each other.

Dean Buchan, Spain RL’s CEO said: “It is genuinely exciting times for rugby league here. We have just seen the launch of Spain’s first professional club, the Valencian Huracanes, we have a new domestic league starting, and this international programme keeps that momentum growing. We proved in the recent World Cup qualifiers that we can compete, and I believe that we will be capable of causing an upset in the competition”.

Champions France and runners up Wales from the 2018 European Championship will be top seeds in pot 1 of the draw, Ireland and Scotland in pot 2, and Italy and Spain in pot 3.

The Men’s Rugby League European Championships is the highest tier of international competition in Europe and started in 1935, it currently takes place every two years.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – 2020 KEY DATES
17/18 October – Round 1
24/25 October – Round 2
31 October/ 1 November – Round 3
7 – 8 November – Final (Venue TBC)