Fiji, Nov. 10 -- Rugby League World Cup games will be hosted in North America for the first time, but the US national team will not be automatically handed a qualification spot for the 2030 tournament.

As part of the lead-up to this weekend's men's and women's finals between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane, the International Rugby League (IRL) made several announcements on Monday, including the location of the 2030 tournament, which will be spread across the US and the Pacific.

Using a Magic Round-style format, a round of fixtures will be hosted in alternative cities across five weekends that includes three group-stage games, a semi-final and final.

The men's tournament will expand from 10 to 12 teams, with the women's increasing...