Australia shaping as front runner to host 2027 World Cup with USA primed for 2031 tournament
The Rugby World Cup could be set to return to the southern hemisphere for the first time in 16 years as Australia appears to lead the race as favourites to host the tournament in 2027.
Additionally, the ground-breaking prospect of the United States as a potential host nation has also emerged, with the world’s 17th-ranked union reportedly eyeing to hold the event in 12 years’ time.
Rugby Australia have already indicated their interest in hosting the 2027 tournament, as former chief executive Bill Pulver announced the union’s intentions on hosting the event two years ago.
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Joining them in the race to hold the tournament is Argentina and Russia, while other nations such as South Africa and the United States have been speculated as potential bidders.
The host nations for both the 2027 and 2031 tournaments will be announced by World Rugby next November, and given that the 2023 World Cup will be held in France – making them the third consecutive nation to hold the spectacle in the northern hemisphere – a move south of the equator could very well be on the table.
Speaking to the BBC, Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney said that makes Australia an attractive proposition as a host country given their prominence within the global rugby landscape.
Former England and Northampton skipper Dylan Hartley gets the last word in online after retiring https://t.co/PSQkYddFL8
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“You would think 2027 would need to go somewhere southern hemisphere,” he said.
“Australia is a really important rugby nation, who have had some financial challenges.
“Anything that World Rugby can do to support the game in Australia would be supported by all of us, I think.”
Holding a World Cup in Australia could have the potential to spur a revival of rugby in the country, which has faced a number of challenges on and off the field in recent years.
Those issues contributed to the Wallabies’ dismal 2019 World Cup campaign, where they were dumped out of the competition in a 40-16 quarter-final defeat at the hands of England.
The side’s outgoing head coach Michael Cheika said during the tournament that Australia would “kill it” if his country was given the responsibility of holding the World Cup for a third time, after co-hosting the 1987 event and acting as sole hosts in 2003.
“If there’s one [thing] we like to do at home and that’s put on a good show; we’ve got so many sports fans there,” he said last month.
“It was 2003 wasn’t it, the one in Australia? A great place for people, I feel like I’m working for the tourism board here, but it’s a place you want to come for a holiday, too.
“The players won’t be coming for a holiday but the spectators [would love it], and you’ve seen how many there are in all the stadiums.
“If I lived overseas and I was a foreigner, it would be the one place I’d want to go to watch a World Cup, that’s for sure…it’d be big for the whole game if the World Cup was played in Australia, without a doubt.”
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Hosting the 2027 tournament in the southern hemisphere could also spell good news for South Africa, who put forward hosting right bids for the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 events, but to no avail.
Buoyed by the Springboks’ recent World Cup glory, the South African Rugby Union are said to be considering yet another bid for one of the next two tournaments, but no confirmation of an official application has yet been heard.
While it’s unlikely that the USA will hold the World Cup in 2027 due for the need for the tournament to return to the southern hemisphere, an application for the 2031 event could see them become the first country in the Americas to hold the spectacle.
Hosting the World Cup four years later would also the tournament avoid being sandwiched between the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the USA is set to co-host alongside Canada and Mexico, and the 2028 Olympic Games, to be held in Los Angeles.
World Rugby is desperate to tap into the lucrative North American market, and following the success of Japan in becoming the first Asian country to hold a World Cup this year, it seems inevitable that the USA will be involved as a host nation in the coming years.
Waiting an additional four years for the tournament to be held in the United States would allow for rugby to develop and hype around the event to build for longer, with Sweeney adding to the BBC that there was “a massive opportunity for the game to kick off” in the country.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Jacobsen will definitely be in the 23
2 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
2 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to comments