Rugby League European Federation
The Rugby League European Federation is the umbrella body for nations playing the sport of rugby league football across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. It supports the Rugby League International Federation. The RLEF "oversees and co-ordinates the development of the sport in all its member countries and those neighbouring organisations that choose to link to the RLEF". The RLEF operates several competitions, most notably the European Cup.
History
The federation was founded January 2003 following an initiative between Richard Lewis, Executive Chairman of Britain's Rugby Football League and his French counterpart Jean Paul Ferre. The RLEF's first constitution was approved in January 2004 and the federation's first Board of Directors was elected. This first Board of Directors consisted of Jean Paul Ferre as President/Chairman and Richard Lewis as Deputy Chairman with Nigel Wood and Nicolas Larrat being the other Board members. Representatives for Morocco, Italy, Serbia, Russia, Lebanon, Ireland, Scotland and Wales attended. Russia became a full member of the RLEF, joining Britain and France, and the RLIF soon after.At the time of its foundation, the RLEF placed a "particular emphasis on generating development funding within each country". Historically, much of the development work conducted in Europe had been funded by the RFL. Following the profitable 2008 World Cup, the RFL and RLEF prepared to bid for funds to enhance their activities.
In December 2009, Kevin Rudd, a former Scotland rugby league international, stepped down as Executive Officer of the RLEF after more than five years in the post. RLEF Chairman Richard Lewis stated that Rudd "has done an outstanding job and created a platform, structure and competitions framework that can take us into the future". Rudd was succeeded by Danny Kazandjian. Kazandjian had previously been a key figure in the establishment of rugby league in Lebanon and had led the RLEF's development drive in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions as Director of Development for the Euro-Med region.
Competitions
RLEF board
Current Board
Membership
Currently eleven nations are full members of the federation; there are also ten associate members and sixteen official observers. Full members are entitled to a greater proportion of voting rights and to become members of the Rugby League International Federation.In order to become an associate member, a nation must meet the following criteria:
- Implementation of a constitution and rules that commit the governing body to acting in the best interest of rugby league, throughout the whole of their country.
- Production of an annual financial report.
- Running a league competition with at least four teams.
- Implementation of a junior development programme.
- The production of a Business Development Plan outlining an organisation's future aims, including aims to find part funding for staff positions.
- A communications strategy.
- An administrators, match officials and coach education strategy.
Full members
| Association | National team | Founded | RLIF affiliation | RLEF affiliation |
| Rugby Football League | 1895 | 1948 | 2003 | |
| Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII | 1934 | 1948 | 2003 | |
| Rugby League Ireland | 1988 | 2000 | 2003 | |
| Federazione Italiana Rugby League | 2008 | 2010 | 2010 | |
| Jamaica Rugby League Association | 2004 | 2013 | 2004 | |
| Lebanese Rugby League Federation | 2003 | 2012 | 2003 | |
| Russian Rugby League | 2010 | 2013 | 2013 | |
| Scotland Rugby League | 1994 | 2011 | 2003 | |
| Serbian Rugby League | 2004 | 2012 | 2004 | |
| Ukrainian Federation of Rugby League | 2008 | 2013 | 2013 | |
| Wales Rugby League | 2005 | 2010 | 2010 |
Associate members
Official observers
- Belgium Rugby League Association
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Rugby League Association
- Bulgarian Rugby League Federation
- Burundi Rugby League
- Cameroon Rugby League 13
- Dansk Rugby League
- Ethiopia Rugby League
- Ghana Rugby League
- Hungarian Rugby League Federation
- Morocco Rugby League
- Nigeria Rugby League
- Palestinian Rugby League
- Polska Rugby XIII
- Sierra Leone Rugby League
- Sweden Rugby League
- Turkish Rugby League Association
Former Full Members
- South African Rugby League
Former Observer Members
- Rugby League Association of Catalonia
- Saudi Arabian Rugby League Association
- Federația Româna de Rugby XIII
- Trinidad & Tobago Rugby League Association
- Emirates Rugby League
RLEF national team results at World Cups
| Team | 1954 | 1957 | 1960 | 1968 | 1970 | 1972 | 1975 | 1977 | 1985-88 | 1989-92 | 1995 | 2000 | 2008 | 2013 | 2017 |
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| - | - | - | - | - | - | 2nd | - | - | - | 2nd | SF | SF | SF | Q | |
| 2nd | Group Stage | Group Stage | 2nd | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | Group Stage | QF | Group Stage | QF | Q | |
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| 1st | 2nd | 1st | Group stage | 2nd | 1st | - | 2nd | Group stage | 2nd | - | - | - | - | - | |
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| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Group Stage | - | - | ||
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| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Group Stage | Group Stage | QF | Q | |
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| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Disbanded | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | QF | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | Group Stage | - | - | - | SF | SF | - | Group Stage |
Official RLEF Seedings
| Rank | Movement | Team |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | 1 | |
| 5 | 10 | |
| 6 | 2 | |
| 7 | 2 | |
| 8 | 2 | |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | 3 | |
| 12 | 5 | |
| 13 | 7 | |
| 14 | 4 | |
| 15 | 3 | |
| 16 | 2 | |
| 17 | 1 | |
| 18 | 7 | |
| 19 | ||
| 20 | 2 | |
| 21 | ||
| 22 | 5 | |
| 23 | ||
| 24 | ||
| 25 | ||
| 26 | ||