| Women's rugby league in the British Isles | |
|---|---|
| Country | Great Britain and Ireland |
| Governing body | Rugby Football League (England)[a] Scotland Rugby League (Scotland)[b] Wales Rugby League (Wales)[b] Rugby League Ireland (Ireland) |
| National team(s) | |
| First played | 1985 (formally) |
National competitions | |
International competitions | |
Rugby league is an increasingly popular sport for women in Great Britain.
Early instances of women playing rugby league were recorded in the 1930s and 1950s but it was not until the 1980s that the Women's Rugby League Association was formed and the first league was organised. Since then expansion has been gradual with a multi-level competition being established in 2014 by the Rugby Football League (RFL), mirroring the structure in the men's game. In 2023 the first steps towards the game turning professional were taken as Super League clubs York Valkyrie and Leeds Rhinos introducing payments for players.
Each of the four nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland has their own governing body and run their own national teams. It is the RFL, the national governing body of the sport in England, that organises most women's competitions including these which have teams from the other nations participating.
Between 1996 and 2003 a Great Britain national team existed but since then each nation has had its own national team.
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