The eight teams set to compete at the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup are due to automatically qualify for France 2025 under the IRL's plans ©Getty Images

International Rugby League (IRL) has revealed its allocation of places by region for the men's and women's 2025 Rugby League World Cups in France, including plans for the women's competition to feature a qualification process for the first time.

The men's, women's, wheelchair and youth tournaments in three years' time are all set to feature 16 teams.

The eight teams selected to feature at the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup in England, delayed until October and November of this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and withdrawals of Australia and New Zealand, are set to qualify automatically.

Other nations who meet "minimum standards" will enter regional qualification.

Asia-Pacific and Europe are both assured of six places at the 2025 Women's World Cup, three berths have been reserved for the Americas and one for Middle East-Africa.

IRL chair Troy Grant claimed the qualification process demonstrated the growth of the women's game in rugby league.

"There were some significant and positive decisions taken at this meeting and they are a clear signal of the ambitions that we all have for international rugby league," Grant commented.

Australia are the defending champions of the men's and women's Rugby League World Cup after their victories in 2017 ©Getty Images
Australia are the defending champions of the men's and women's Rugby League World Cup after their victories in 2017 ©Getty Images

"Our women’s game is growing well and the guarantee of places to each of the RLWC [Rugby League World Cup] 2021 teams gives them the certainty and continuity that helps them develop their programmes whilst, at the same time, opening up massive opportunities to new nations taking up the women’s game."

For the men's World Cup, the eight quarter-finalists at this year's delayed tournament will automatically qualify.

A qualification tournament featuring 27 nations is then set to decide the remaining eight places.

IRL said this represents a 50 per cent increase on the number of countries who entered qualifying for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Europe has been guaranteed six to eight berths at the men's tournament for 2025, Asia-Pacific five to seven, two for the Americans and either one or two for Middle East-Africa.

Details on qualifying for the wheelchair and youth tournaments are still to be finalised.

French Rugby League Federation President Luc Lacoste said the organisation hoped to make France 2025 "the most inclusive World Cup ever with the widest possible representation from around the world".

The Rugby League World Cups were last held in 2017, with Australia winning the men's and women's titles.

France was awarded hosting rights for the 2025 edition in January of this year.