Asia and The Middle East
Rugby league is a growing sport in Asia and the Middle East, with a large growth in players since the 1990s, some of which have played at the game's elite levels in the National Rugby League and Super League. The game in the Middle East is one of the fastest growing sports with regular internationals played against European and Mediterranean teams. Although Russia has a growing rugby league presence and extends into Asia, the main competition is in Europe.
Countries that meet current World Cup qualification criteria:
| Country | Overview | National team | Status | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Best International Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Rugby league in Japan | Samurais | Affiliate | Japanese Rugby League Association | Japanese Rugby League | Emerging Nations - Pool Round |
| Lebanon | Rugby league in Lebanon | The Cedars | Affiliate | Lebanese Rugby League Federation | Bank of Beirut Championship | World Cup - Pool Round |
Other countries with a history of the game:
| Country | Overview | National team | Status | Governing Body | Main league competition(s) | Best International Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Non-Affiliate | China Rugby League | ||||
| Indonesia | Non-Affiliate | Indonesia Rugby League | Bali 9's/West Papua | |||
| Israel | Non-Affiliate | |||||
| Pakistan | Rugby league in Pakistan | Observer | ||||
| Palestine | Non-Affiliate | |||||
| Qatar | Observer | |||||
| Saudi Arabia | Observer | |||||
| Singapore | Non-Affiliate | Singapore Rugby League | ||||
| United Arab Emirates | Rugby league in UAE | Falcons | Observer | Emirates Rugby League |
Read more about this topic: Rugby League Around The World
Famous quotes containing the words asia and, asia, middle and/or east:
“I have no doubt that they lived pretty much the same sort of life in the Homeric age, for men have always thought more of eating than of fighting; then, as now, their minds ran chiefly on the “hot bread and sweet cakes;” and the fur and lumber trade is an old story to Asia and Europe.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else available. Western civilization not only provides a bit of life, a pinch of liberty and the occasional pursuance of happiness, it’s also the only thing that’s ever tried to. Our civilization is the first in history to show even the slightest concern for average, undistinguished, none-too-commendable people like us.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)
“There is singularly nothing that makes a difference a difference in beginning and in the middle and in ending except that each generation has something different at which they are all looking. By this I mean so simply that anybody knows it that composition is the difference which makes each and all of them then different from other generations and this is what makes everything different otherwise they are all alike and everybody knows it because everybody says it.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)
“Everybody ought to have a lower East Side in their life.”
—Irving Berlin (1888–1989)