Wheelchair World Cup Opening Round Set as Team Lists Land for Wollongong

The opening round of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup is officially set, with team lists confirmed for a weekend of action at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong. Ireland and the USA will kick off the tournament on Friday afternoon, with England taking on Wales later the same day, before France face Scotland on Saturday and Australia meet New Zealand in a huge Trans-Tasman showdown on Saturday evening. England enter the tournament as defending champions, having beaten France in a tense final in 2022, but the Wheelaroos are confident they can reach the decider for the first time since 2008. New Zealand are playing in the Wheelchair World Cup for the first time, while Wales will be eager to build on their semi-final finish four years ago. Teams will be announced 24 hours before kick-off, with each nation naming a 10-player squad and a final nine-player team confirmed 90 minutes before the game. The wheelchair matches will be followed by a men's and women's double-header at the adjoining WIN Stadium, and fans with a ticket to that double-header can gain free entry to Friday's wheelchair fixtures under a World Cup Magic Round offer. For many fans, the tournament will be a first live look at wheelchair rugby league, a fast, physical format that organisers hope will win new followers over the opening weekend in Wollongong.