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The Rugby League World Cup is starting. How do I watch and when is Australia playing?

The Rugby League World Cup starts on Saturday night, with men's, women's and wheelchair event being held over the coming month in England.

And the 2021 tournament hosts kick things off against Samoa at 12:30am AEDT, a year after it was supposed to begin. Yes, this is another COVID-postponed event with the wrong year plastered all over it.

Here's what you need to know about the tournament.

How do I watch?

The World Cup is being broadcast exclusively on Fox Sports and online streamer Kayo in Australia.

Unfortunately, that means no games will be on free-to-air television.

When is Australia playing?

So far, the Kangaroos have group matches against Fiji, Scotland and Italy locked in.

The men's team will play their opener against Fiji on Sunday, at 5.30am AEDT, at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

Their game against Scotland will be on Saturday, October 22, at 5:30am AEDT, in Coventry, before their last group match against Italy will be played on Sunday, October 30, at 5:30am AEDT, at St Helens.

Assuming Australia top their group, their semi-final will be played at 6:30am AEDT, on November 5, in Huddersfield.

By that point, the women's and wheelchair tournaments will have kicked off, with the Jillaroos up against Cook Islands on the morning of November 3, and the wheelchair team taking on England to start their part of the tournament the following morning.

The wheelchair final will be played on Saturday, November 19, at 5:30am AEDT. The women's final will be played 11:15pm AEDT that night, with the men's final starting at 2am AEDT the next morning.

Which stars are playing?

Australia's men's team is brimming with big names such as James Tedesco, Cameron Munster, Latrell Mitchell and Nathan Cleary, but a swag of Polynesian stars — some of whom turned out in this year's State of Origin series — have bolstered the Pacific Island teams.

As he has in previous years, former Kiwi Jason Taumalolo will play for Tonga, alongside the likes of David Fifita, Siosifa Talakai and Daniel Tupou.

Samoa is fielding almost certainly their strongest-ever team, with premiership stars Jarome Luai and Brian To'o joining Joseph Suaalii, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Anthony Milford in an electric back line, and a forward pack led by Josh Papali'i.

The Kiwis have a typically powerful forward pack, with two of the game's premier props in Joe Tapine and James Fisher-Harris, while England is running out hard-hitting Rooster Victor Radley and Super League young player of the year Jack Welsby.

Other big names you might recognise include grand finalist Mitchell Moses (Lebanon), Panthers teammates Viliame Kikau and Api Koroisau (Fiji), and Justin Olam as PNG's fearless leader.

The Jillaroos' team was hit by a couple of big outs when Knights prop Millie Boyle and fullback Tamika Upton withdrew, but that brought former Dally M medallist Emma Tonegato into the fold, joining established stars such as Ali Brigginshaw, Kezie Apps and Jess Sergis into the side. Also watch out for hard-running Newcastle prop Caitlan Johnston.

Dally M Medal winner Raecene McGregor will turn out for New Zealand's Kiwi Ferns as part of an excellent spine that includes Broncos hooker Nita Maynard.

Who are the favourites?

Australia is the defending champion and favourite in both the men's and women's tournaments.

That is despite the Kangaroos being ranked fourth in the world after not playing a single Test since 2019, when they lost to now-second-ranked Tonga.

New Zealand is ranked number one and England is third.

The Aussie Jillaroos are world number one in the women's game, but face a stiff challenge from the second-ranked Kiwi Ferns.

Australia's wheelchair team is ranked seventh of eight nations, with France topping the list.

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