Wales will avoid the big guns of Australia, New Zealand and England if they qualify for the pool stages of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

The draw has opened the door for Wales to be grouped with Papua New Guinea and another European qualifier if they finish among the top two in qualification.

If Wales finish third, they will join a World Cup pool that will include Fiji and the USA for the tournament that will be held in Australia in October of next year.

Wales are in a qualification group that includes Italy and Serbia for a series of matches that start in October of this year.

Ireland and Wales are among a group of six nations hoping to take the three spots still up for grabs when they complete the European qualifying section this autumn.

If Wales do qualify, then their match against Papua New Guinea will be played in Port Moresby as Papua New Guinea have been announced as a hosting partner, along with Australia and New Zealand.

England have been drawn with co-hosts Australia, France and Lebanon in Pool A.

Scotland, who qualified automatically after reaching the quarter-finals in 2013, are in Pool B alongside the other co-hosts New Zealand and Pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa.

RLWC2017 chief executive Michael Brown said: “The tournament draw demonstrates how far and wide we are taking matches, from established rugby league communities to those new and emerging fan bases in all three countries.

“Over the course of the pool stages we have looked to position matches in strong rugby league communities and where large populations of ex-pats, Pacifica and indigenous fans live, to give those who love the sport and their national teams the chance to see some World Cup action.

“The decision to take matches to places like Darwin, Perth, Christchurch and Port Moresby was made with the future of the game in mind. They are matches we believe will give profile to the sport in markets that have already shown an appetite for rugby league.”

Pool A: Australia, England, France, Lebanon.

Pool B: New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga.

Pool C: Papua New Guinea, European Qualifier 1, European Qualifier 2.

Pool D: Fiji, USA, European Qualifier 3.