It's the Rugby League World Cup - a cross-cultural melting pot with teams from the Americas, Europe and the Pacific ready to do battle.
But with 16 teams in the men's competition and hundreds of names to familiarise yourself with, we've had a look at the squads to determine just who are the three players from each nation you need to be watching.
Jamaica
Abevia McDonald
McDonald is a true success story for the Reggae Warriors, one of just two Jamaican players so far to sign a professional contract after emerging in the domestic league. He first started playing rugby league less than 10 years ago after originally playing football. He worked his way through the college system in Jamaica and then through the domestic competition before moving to England in 2019.
Currently a member of the London Skolars club, after some initial struggles McDonald has made a name for himself in the reserve grade side and forced his own promotion to the first team. This year he scored six tries in just eight appearances. What makes him one to watch is his very strong build matched with searing pace. If he can fend off a defender and get into some open space, you'll be amazed.
Izaac Farrell
With experience from the Super League through to England's third division, Izaac Farrell has experienced a lot since making his debut for Huddersfield five years ago as a 19-year-old . He'll form a dynamic halves pairing with James Woodburn-Hall, but Farrell is expected to take the lion's share of the kicking duties at the tournament, should he win out for the position over newcomer Kieran Rush.
In 2020, Farrell moved to Sheffield, where he now plays with brother Joel, who is also a member of the squad – the only remaining pair of siblings on the national team following Dominic Young's decision to represent England.
Ben Jones-Bishop
A veteran of the side, the 34-year-old outside back brings over 200 games of Super League experience to the team, having won back-to-back titles with Leeds in 2011-12 and scoring a try against Manly in the Rhinos' 2012 World Club Challenge victory.
Though he's had limited opportunities in the national side, he's already scored four tries in three appearances at international level, to go with nearly 150 tries at Super League level and a total of 175 across 289 total first class games. Though this is likely to be his last World Cup appearance, expect him to do everything he can to help the Reggae Warriors to a historic win.
Ashton Golding
Another of the more experienced players in the Jamaican team, Golding also brings valuable utility experience, having played at fullback, in the outside backs and even at dummy-half for the Reggae Warriors' warm-up game against Cumbria – a position he may be expected to fill during the tournament.
The 26-year-old made a name for himself at Leeds, spending five years at the club as a fullback before moving to second-division Featherstone, helping them to within one game of a Super League return thanks to his footwork, strength and pace. He returned to the Super League with Huddersfield a year later, and played for the Giants in this year's Challenge Cup final
