The USA is on course to host successive tournaments, with a final decision expected in May. USA hosting 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups to cost the US $500m.
Key takeaways:
- Hosting the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups in the US will cost approximately $500 million
- USA Rugby entered exclusive dialogue with World Rugby in November
- Costs, profits, and losses to be shared between both parties
- World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin says the new hosting model will reduce risk
USA Governing body of Rugby officially launched its bid last year to host the rugby world cup back to back in the years 2027 and 2031. This month the dialogues entered into their final phase with USA Rugby over hosting the 2031 edition of the tournament.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that USA Rugby was also targeting the 2033 women’s Rugby World Cup. As the having initially declared its interest in hosting the 2029 edition as part of efforts to stage successive tournaments.
On 24th March, USA Rugby World Cup bid chair Jim Brown disclosed the estimated outlay should the country be awarded hosting rights.
He said: “The forecast and expense are generally understood between the potential host, us, and World Rugby. It will be a half-billion-dollar mark, plus or minus a few. That’s essentially where we currently sit. So we do have detailed budgets on all of this.”
He further added: “Obviously, it’s a moving target depending on a variety of things. But the general understanding is plus or minus $100 million. it’s about a half a billion-dollar project for both of them.”
Costs, profits, and losses are set to be shared between USA Rugby and World Rugby. It will reflect the global governing body’s change in the policy of partnering with unions to stage World Cups.
The likes of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, and New York have expressed interest in staging games. Some of which would be played in National Football League (NFL) stadiums.