RLWC2021 says The Value Xchange has extensive experience of helping brands and rights owners maximise the impact partnerships have for the brand, the rights-owner and the fan experience.

The consultancy has worked with automotive, charity, healthcare, logistics and technology sectors in a variety of sports including football, motorsport, mass participation events and rugby League.

The Value Xchange is set to work with RLWC2021 to help develop mutually beneficial partnerships with sponsors around the tournament.

"Sponsorship plays a hugely important role for the tournament in driving revenue, supporting our wider tournament objectives, and the commercial legacy beyond the event this year," said Jonathan Neill, RLWC2021 commercial director.

"We’ve made progress to date and are very grateful to the brands who have shown trust in us.

"We want to continue to build on this and welcome further brands to help deliver the biggest sporting event to be held solely in England this year, whilst supporting the business community at such a critical time as we emerge from the pandemic.

"We take a flexible, data and insight led approach to partnerships, and are finding brands want to align and add value to our vision and values, whilst delivering against their brand and business objectives via positive engagement with our audiences.

"The Value Xchange will play a vital role in this success.

"They share our enthusiasm, understand our strategic framework and have tremendous skills and experience to continue to move us forward and maximise the opportunity we have."

RLWC2021 says it is looking to add to its existing sponsorship roster, which includes Cazoo as principal sponsor.

Eversheds Sutherland, Deloitte, Manchester Metropolitan University, Kappa, Kuehne+Nagel and Assura are also among partners for the tournament.

RLWC2021 said opportunities are available for brands to align with the tournament in championing inclusivity, accessibility and creating positive social impacts in communities via a wide range of activities.

This will include being the first tournament to deliver a mental fitness charter, education resources, volunteering and a multi-million-pound capital grants programme.

David Peters, founder and co-owner of The Value Xchange, welcomed the opportunity to support the event.

"We’re delighted to be appointed to work with RLWC2021 on their sponsorship sales efforts," Peters said.

"The tournament’s ambition to create mutually beneficial partnerships which leave a long-lasting legacy is consistent with our values as a business and it is great to see RLWC2021’s plans to make this a reality.

"We are certain this resonates well with brands who want to be part of a high-profile sports event which will also have an enduring and positive social impact."

In a first, the men's, women's and wheelchair World Cup tournaments are to be held at the same time this year.

The BBC has the rights to show all 61 matches in the UK and Ireland.

Australia are the defending men's and women's champions, while France hold the wheelchair crown.

Games are scheduled to be played from October 23 to November 27.

Organisers are hopeful 750,000 can attend matches at the tournament, although this is likely to depend on the COVID-19 pandemic.