The 2025 Rugby League World Cup will take place in France, the French Rugby League federation confirmed on Friday.

French prime minister Jean Castex will hold a full launch of the event on Jan. 11 in Paris.

The tournament will be the 17th edition, and returns to France, where the first World Cup was held in 1954, and a second in 1972.

International Rugby League intended to award the location to France and have four competitions in one event including the men’s game, women’s game, wheelchair athletes and young people with 16 teams in each competition.

The 2021 Rugby League World Cup was due to take place in October in England but was postponed due to complications as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which saw the NRL refuse to release up to 400 players and staff to travel to the UK.

The 2021 tournament will go ahead in October 2022 across various locations in England.