Skip to main content

With the Rugby League World Cup 2021 coming to Warrington later this year, the organisers are looking for a talented young artist to design the mascot that will become the face of this year’s three tournaments.

The competition is searching for the best mascot that encapsulates the spirit of the Rugby League World Cup. It should represent all three tournaments, be eye catching and recognisable, fun and friendly, have a great name and backstory and represent the values of the tournament. 

The mascot for the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments, will follow in the footsteps of Grubber Bear, which was the mascot the last time the Rugby League World Cup was held in the UK.

The mascot will be chosen by a RLWC2021 panel of ambassadors and announced on social media. The winning designer will receive two tickets to the Men and Women’s finals day at Old Trafford on Saturday 19 November and the chance to take their entire class at school to another tournament match (excluding finals). They will also get the opportunity to visit the creative studio and see their entry brought to life as the official tournament mascot.

How you can get involved?

  • Download the template on our RLWC page, or use your own piece of paper if you prefer
  • Include your name, age, school and adult contact details as well as the name and backstory to your mascot
  • Enter by post or by emailing your design to mascot@rlwc2021.com

To download the full pack, alongside educational resources, and more information about the competition, visit the RLWC website.

Rugby ball town dressing competition


Locally in Warrington we are also on the hunt for fantastic artwork created by local primary children to use as part of our town dressing and welcome players and spectators from all over the world!

Warrington will be hosting the Papua New Guinea men’s team, as well as three world-class men’s fixtures at the Halliwell Jones Stadium and a festival of physical disability rugby league.

Colourful rugby balls designed by our primary school children will be featured in the town dressing, helping to map out the routes to the Halliwell Jones Stadium where matches will take place, alongside being proudly displayed in key parts of our town centre.

How you can get your school involved?

  • Register your school on the RLWC2021 website and get access to the educational resources.
  • Print out the rugby ball template and get creative! We're looking for rugby balls designed around the theme ‘The Power of Together’.
  • Each school to submit a maximum of two winning designs per key stage. Submit your selected designs to rlwc2021@warrington.gov.uk by 15 June 2022.

All submitted designs will be featured in our town dressing, and all schools who submit entries will be considered for the Papua New Guinea team visit to their school.

Cabinet member for children’s services, Cllr Sarah Hall, said: “This is two exciting opportunities to get our young people involved in what will be a first class event for Warrington. I can’t wait to see the colourful and eye-catching designs from our primary school children and young people all over Warrington, and hopefully in the form of a new RLWC mascot!

“The rugby ball designs could be about celebrating Warrington, international sport, welcoming Papua New Guinea or celebrating all aspects of Rugby League in general. Remember, the theme is ‘The Power of Together’ and don’t forget to include the name of your school.

“The mascot competition has also been created so that the tournament mascot is designed by the very people we are aiming to inspire. This is a fantastic chance for a young person to design the new mascot which will be beamed out across the globe at the opening fixture and across the tournament.”

Cabinet member for leisure and community, Cllr Tony Higgins, said: “The Rugby League World Cup 2021 will be the biggest, best and most inclusive tournament ever held, and an important part of RLWC is encouraging our communities to get creative.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what our schools and children can create and design. The town centre will look brilliant dressed in multiple rugby ball designs from our schools – it will help to bring a real party atmosphere for when the tournament comes to Warrington later this year!”

To find out more about each competition, visit: warrington.gov.uk/get-creative-rugby-league-world-cup.

There are lots of ideas and information about Papua New Guinea and The Power of Together within the education resources on the RLWC2021 website.  

You can find out more on RLWC2021 coming to Warrington on the Warrington Borough Council website.