Australia will take on old foe England as part of a double-header to kick off the 2013 rugby league World Cup at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

The venue will host the opening ceremony on October 26, then co-hosts Wales will get the 14-team tournament underway against qualifiers Italy, followed by the Kangaroos’ group A clash with England.

Australia’s other pool matches are against Fiji at Langtree Park in St Helens and against Ireland at the rugby union stronghold of Thomond Park in Limerick.

Holders New Zealand will play group B games against Samoa in Warrington, Papua New Guinea in Leeds and France at home in Avignon.

If the group fixtures go to form, Australia will meet Wales in the quarter-finals in Wrexham, with England taking on the third-placed team from group B at Wigan’s DW Stadium.

Organisers on Thursday unveiled 19 of the venues across England, Wales, Ireland and France for all but three of the 28 matches.

In a late change of plan, the organisers decided not to announce the venues for the closing stages but Wembley is thought to be favourite to host both semi-finals with the November 30 final set to go to Old Trafford, which was the venue for the last final to be held in England in 2000.

The full list of dates and kickoffs will be confirmed when the broadcast schedule is finalised.