SYDNEY, July 31, 2008 (AFP) - Rugby League World Cup organisers restated player eligibility rules Thursday for the 10 nations taking part, which were preparing to submit interim squads this week ahead of the 2008 competition.

The Rugby League International Federation listed the criteria players must meet to play for a national team in the October 25-November 22 tournament in Australia.

The criteria show a player can take part in an international match for his country of birth; a country his parents or any of his grandparents were born in; and his principal country of residence for a period of three years up to his selection date.

The federation said a player may also be selected for the country he last played representative international rugby league for at any age level prior to the introduction of the body's 1998 constitution.

A player can also be selected for a country where he gained senior international honours in any sport.

Organisers said players eligible for more than one country must choose one, which is deemed to have happened when a player accepts selection in a team.

The federation said a player can be available for more than one nation until that point.

The 2008 Rugby League World Cup involves 18 matches in 12 venues over 29 days. The final is at Brisbane?s Lang Park on November 22 and has already sold out.

Teams will compete in three pools, with the first comprising Australia, New Zealand, England and Papua New Guinea. The second includes France, Fiji and Scotland and pool three brings together Tonga, Samoa and Ireland.