The world is coming to Newcastle

The first fixture in the tournament, which sees the men's, women's and wheelchair competitions taking place simultaneously for this first time, will see England men taking on Samoa at St. James' Park.

To mark the momentous occasion, the three Rugby League World Cup trophies will be arriving in Newcastle at the Life Science Centre ahead of the weekend, visiting Gaia - a touring artwork of our planet.

Gaia, created by British artist Luke Jerram, is a mesmerising seven metre diameter installation of planet Earth. It features detailed NASA imagery of the Earth's surface, and has impressed audiences across the globe, from London to Sydney.

The stunning art-meets-science creation is a permanent installation at Life Science Centre, and can be seen by visitors inside, and externally by the many hundreds of people who walk through Times Square every day. It is a brilliantly accessible way for everyone to consider the fragility and wonder of our planet. RLWC2021 welcomes 32 teams from 20 nations globally, championing culture, diversity and inclusivity throughout the 61 fixtures.

Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of RLWC2021, said: "This is a global tournament with a huge focus on people, place and pride, so where better in Newcastle to showcase our silverware than in this fantastic installation?

"The structure really is impressive and I'd urge fans to take a look as part of their weekend here in Newcastle - which also sees our Cultural Festival come to life in the City Centre on Saturday and exciting Fan Village on the Quayside open from Friday.

"It's going to be a very special party weekend and the world will be watching - so we're very keen to show everything that Newcastle has to offer to our global audience."

Linda Conlon, Chief Executive of Life Science Centre, said: "There's a real buzz in the air as Newcastle gets ready to welcome fans from across the world.

“We're thrilled that our science centre is part of the celebrations. Gaia, our replica of planet Earth, is spectacular and a symbolic backdrop to showcase the trophies of this global tournament."

Newcastle will host the official tournament welcome on Saturday with British indie rock brand Kaiser Chiefs performing as the headline act. Tickets remain available for RLWC2021 from www.RLWC2021.com/tickets, book.nufc.co.uk and the Box Office at St. James' Park between 9am and 5pm on Friday and from 9am on Saturday.

Online sales will close at 9am on Saturday. Fans must print off their downloadable ticket.

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Photograph courtesy of Getty Images