Major Rugby League tournaments of 2010

(AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES)

Though the next Rugby League World Cup is not until 2013, 2010 offers up plenty of notable tournaments and trophies, including finals in the World Club Challenge, the Challenge Cup, the Super League's Grand Final, Rugby League's Four Nations, and a European Cup.

World Club Challenge
February 28
Leeds, United Kingdom
2009's winners of the Australian National Rugby League, Melbourne Storm, meet two-time challenge champs and current Super League Grand Final winners Leeds Rhinos at the English side's home ground Elland Road to contest the World Club Challenge trophy. Ticket prices range from £10 (€11/$16) for children up to £50 (€55/$80) for adults' pitchside seating.
http://www.superleague.co.uk/tickets_event.php?id=13

Challenge Cup Final
August 28
London, United Kingdom
The Carnegie Challenge Cup takes place over nearly nine months, drawing its participants from all levels and all over Europe. The first round includes amateur, military, student, and lower league teams. The following eliminators include squads from Russian, French, and British clubs, and from the fourth round onwards Europe's very top teams are drafted in from the Super League. Matchday seats for the final at the new Wembley Stadium can be booked for £21 (€23/$33) up in the high stands to £76 (€85/$120) for prime pitchside views.
http://www.thechallengecup.com

Super League Grand Final
October 2
Manchester, United Kingdom
Though the venues of the Super League's elimination rounds will not be known until the league's top eight are determined, the final will once again be at Old Trafford, the home of association football's Manchester United, as it has been since 1998. Teams from England and Wales will be joined by the Catalans Dragons from Perpignan, south France in a bid to net silverware in October. Standard ticket prices start at £16 (€18/$26) and go up to £61 (€68/$98), wheelchair accessible seating and hospitality packages are also available upon request.
http://www.superleague.co.uk/tickets_event.php?id=2

Four Nations
October - November (dates TBC)
Australia and New Zealand (locations TBC)
England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will endeavor to wrestle the Four Nations trophy from inaugural winners Australia. Previously in a tri-nation format, the Rugby League International Federation expanded the competition for 2009, drawing the fourth team from the European Cup in 2009, which was France, and this year Papua New Guinea join due to their success in the 2009 Pacific Cup.
http://www.rlif.org

Rugby League European Cup Final
Expected date: November
Location TBC
The 2010 European Cup will be contested by national teams from France, Italy, Ireland, the Lebanon, Scotland, and Wales. Eventual winners go on to compete in the 2011 Four Nations tournament.
http://www.rlef.eu.com