Hosts Australia start strong favourites to defend their title as the 13th Rugby League World Cup gets underway tonight in AUstralia.

England and New Zealand are the only countries expected to offer a realistic challenge to the dominant Kangaroos.

The three favourites are in the same group along with Papua New Guinea, who open the 18-match tournament against England in Townsville today at 9pm.

Vodafone Fiji Bati, Scotland, Ireland, France, Samoa and Tonga are the other teams competing down under in the next four weeks.

Three semifinalists will come from the group featuring the four strongest teams, with just one last-four berth up for grabs from the other two groups of three - one featuring Fiji, France and Scotland, the other Ireland, Tonga and Samoa.

The winners of each of those two groups will playoff in a semifinal qualifier.