Venues announced for Rugby League World Cup

Canberra and Wollongong are the latest venues to be announced for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

Canberra Stadium will host the opening Group B match between France and Scotland or Wales on Sunday, October 26.

It is one of two early games that will precede the official opening ceremony in Sydney later that evening.

The second Group B match, between France and Fiji, will be held at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Saturday, November 1.

The 13th World Cup will be played from Saturday, October 25, to Saturday, November 28, taking in three states and the ACT and 12 venues.

Fiji and Tonga have already qualified and join automatic entrants Australia, England, New Zealand, France and Papua New Guinea in the draw.

The final three places will be decided when Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Lebanon, Russia, Samoa and the United States complete the qualifying matches next month.

Wales need to overturn a seven-point deficit when they meet the Scots in Glasgow on November 4 to book their place, although the losers will have a second chance to qualify through the repechage.

England kick off their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Townsville on October 25.

The final will be played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.