WIREDGOV

We’ve invested £23 million in the tournament’s social impact programme.

The Rugby League World Cup recently (15 October 2022) kicked off in Newcastle with the event having already made a lasting impact on the communities hosting it.

Comprising the men’s, women’s and wheelchair events, this is the first time they’ve been held simultaneously, making it the most inclusive Rugby League World Cup ever held.

Taking place in 18 different towns and cities across England, the tournament has already made its mark thanks to almost £26 million of investment into its social impact programme – with more than £23m of that total coming from Sport England.

The event's CreatedBy programme – which is transforming rugby league facilities across the country – has received £22.7m, while £333,000 has been invested into the inclusive and community volunteer programmes.

This follows our £35m investment in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which was also focussed on creating a lasting impact from a major event – something our chief executive Tim Hollingsworth says is a vital part of our Uniting the Movement strategy.

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