The meeting in the Australian city will take place during the sport's World Cup, with Italy due to compete in the men's tournament.

Men's and women's action is scheduled to get underway on Friday (October 27) when Australia play England in the men's event at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. 

It will begin six weeks of competition with Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea co-hosting the competition. 

The history of Italian rugby league dates back to 1950, when international competitions were relatively infrequent. 

There were, however, two games with Australia in the 1960s.

Threats by Italian rugby union authorities to ban those who played rugby league "killed off" the sport in the country from the early 1970s until it was revived in 1993 by two Italian-Australians, Domenic Pezzano and John Benigni.

After Italian involvement in the first ever Super League World Nines in Fiji in 1996, international events became more frequent, and FIRL was given "official observer" status by the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) in 2008.

Italy won the RLEF European Shield that year and in 2009 were drafted into the European Cup after Russia withdrew.

In 2010, the Italians toured Wales and defeated them 13-6, their first win against a British or Irish team and three years later they shocked England 15-14.

The Abruzzi exited in the group stage at their first World Cup in 2013, but they did defeat co-hosts Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

They will be hoping that the boost of admission to the RLIF will act as an encouragement to players to achieve greater heights this year.

Italy, now ranked 14th in the world, have been drawn in Group D with United States and Fiji.