Cardiff today (Monday) played host to the first of a series of a series of seminars to outline the Host City Selection Process for the Rugby League World Cup in 2013.

Towns and cities across the UK will learn from these seminars as to how they can benefit from their involvement in what looks to be the most exciting Rugby League World Cup of all time.

Over 100 representatives of local authorities, stadiums and other interested parties are attending the events.

The England and Wales World Cup will take place in the autumn of 2013 and the RFL is expecting to be in a position to announce all the host towns, cities and venues by November of this year.

“The seminars are an opportunity for town, cities and regions to find out more about the significant benefits, both social and economic, that await all the venues involved in what is going to be a very exciting World Cup,” said Sally Bolton, the RFL’s Director of Projects and Planning.

“It is also an opportunity for us to explain the process and outline our expectations of them before, during and after the tournament has taken place.

“We’re looking for enthusiastic and committed cities and town to join us in a partnership to deliver a Rugby League World Cup that will take pride of place in the UK’s ‘Golden Decade of Sport.’

“We are confident the England and Wales World Cup will leave a lasting legacy for Rugby League and the communities which host matches and these seminars are a chance for us to share our vision with our prospective host partners.”

The 2013 England and Wales World Cup was officially launched last November and will involve 14 nations, two of whom will gain entry through their participation in qualifying tournaments played in 2011.

Australia, Cook Islands, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga and Wales have all been confirmed as competing nations and they will be joined by one qualifier from a European Qualifying Group consisting of Italy, Lebanon, Russia and Serbia and one qualifier from an Atlantic Qualifying Group consisting of Jamaica, South Africa and the USA.

The competition’s structure will consist of two groups of four, with England drawn alongside arch rivals Australia, Fiji and Ireland in Group A and World Cup holders New Zealand facing Pacific Island rivals Papua New Guinea, Samoa and France in Group B. Scotland will face Tonga and the European qualifiers in Group C and joint hosts Wales have been drawn against the Cook Islands and the Atlantic Qualifiers.