Declared and Potential Bidders for Rugby World Cup 2035

Australia will host Rugby World Cup 2027. The USA will host the 2031 tournament. Which country or countries will host Rugby World Cup 2035? This article looks at the declared and potential bidders for RWC 2035.

 

ITALY

Days before the start of RWC 2023, Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) director Marzio Innocenti confirmed that Italy would like to host Rugby World Cup 2035 or 2039.

Italy is the only member of the Six Nations that has never hosted Rugby World Cup matches. Italy joined the competition in 2000. Rome has strong attendances with a combination of home supporters and traveling fans.

Italy has a lot going for it as a potential host nation.80,000 were in attendance at Milan for Italy vs New Zealand in 2009. Seven Italian cities hosted test matches during the Rugby World Cup 2019-2023 cycle. In short, the FIR is able to successfully host home matches in different locations.

Italy bid for RWCs 2015 and 2019 but was unsuccessful. England won 2015 hosting rights. Wales hosted eight matches including two quarter finals. Indications are that RWC 2035 in Italy would, like the 2015 bid, have all matches staged in Italy.

 

SPAIN

Italy’s accessibility from France, Ireland and the UK are advantageous for gaining World Rugby approval. Italy is not alone in this regard. Spain offers an alternative with World Rugby lured by the prospect of RWC matches at Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and Camp Nou in Barcelona.

France 2027 is the best ever attended Rugby World Cup. Spain is not a rugby giant but the country is a prepared market for locals and visiting supporters with a high-speed rail network and stadiums.

Spain hosted Argentina in August 2023 in Madrid in a RWC warm-up match. Barcelona hosted the Top 14 Final in front of a world record attendance. San Sebastián has hosted Top 14 and Champions Cup matches and Bilbao hosted a Champions Cup Final.

España Rugby (FER) told World Rugby in December 2023 that they would like to host Rugby World Cup 2035. Spain’s quest came after disappointments. World Rugby disqualified Spain from Rugby World Cup 2023 and from Rugby World Cup 2019 qualifying. Past eligibility controversies were not limited to Spain though World Rugby gave them no quarter.

Spain qualified for Rugby World Cup 2027 and previously played at the 1999 tournament. Australia 2007 will be played later in part because October and November mean greater accessibility to stadiums. Spain 2035 would mean handling stadium accessibility differently. World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin confirmed conversations have taken place between Spain rugby and soccer authorities as well as the Spanish government.

 

JAPAN

Japan is interested in hosting Rugby World Cup 2035. Critics could respond to the effect of “2019 is recent so other options should be considered instead of Japan again.” While this statement is factual it omits the point that France hosted Rugby World Cups 2007 and 2023 sixteen years apart.

Japan 2019 was more economically successful than England 2015 and all earlier editions of the tournament. That tournament attracted 242,000 international visitors, who stayed an average of 17 days. 2035 will follow Australia 2027 and USA 2031. uncertainty surrounds the latter which suggests that Japan 2035 is comparatively a very interesting option for World Rugby; it presents a financially stable option.

Regarding the Rugby World Cup 2035 hosts, World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson said “Japan is squarely in the middle of the conversation.”

 

GULF

Japanese interest may not be the only bid from Asia. West Asian interest comes in an entirely new form. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering a joint bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup.

Asia Rugby President Qais Al-Dhalai said it could happen in 2035. He declared that it would be the most successful event in the history of rugby.

No country from West Asia has ever qualified for a Men’s Rugby World Cup. Notwithstanding, Dubai is an annual host of a leg of the World Rugby SVNS series and hosted the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup.

Qatar Rugby Federation and United Arab Emirates Rugby Federation are both full members of Asia Rugby and World Rugby. Saudi Arabia is an associate member of Asia Rugby but is not a member of World Rugby.

A Gulf hosted RWC 2035 would require a new window for the tournament. Conditions in September and October would simply be too hot; December and January are friendlier months. Arranging the World Cup at such a time would require restructured calendars for professional rugby competitions as well as international competition such as the 2036 Six Nations.

 

ENGLAND

In February 2021 England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales were considering a joint bid for Rugby World Cup 2031. In September, England Rugby confirmed its intention to bid to host RWC 2031. Neither happened as the World Rugby Council approved the USA as hosts for RWC 2031 in November 2021.

England has not declared intent on bidding for Rugby World Cup 2035. The country nonetheless remains an option. The country will host the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. World Rugby is highly optimistic about the tournament with record-breaking ticket sales confirmed in December 2024.

The 2025 Women’s RWC will be exclusively in England. This was not the case for the Men’s tournament hosted by England and Wales in 2015. Moreover, Australia and France both hosted Men’s Rugby World Cups either side of England 2015.

The canceled 2031 bid suggests that 2035 is plausible. So too does the financial situation; England Rugby recorded unprecedented operating losses of £37.9m in 2024. Spain and Italy may be up against an England bid for 2035.

 

ARGENTINA

Argentina has hosted big tournaments before such as Copa America and FIFA World Cup. Argentina wanted to host either RWC 2023 or 2027. Argentina pulled out of the race for 2023 because of a belief that it would not garner adequate votes against France.

The decision to pull-out saw attention turning to 2027. Together with President Mauricio Macri, Argentine rugby officials presented their candidacy to World Rugby officials in October 2016. Argentina pulled-out to support SANZAAR partners Australia. The UAR have not stated whether they will bid to host RWC 2035.

An Argentine bid could underline positives. Argentina has an outstanding national team; it is the only Semi Finalist in RWC history to never host a RWC match. The country has a proven fan base with Los Pumas playing home matches across the country. The country’s time zone is friendly to both Six Nations and Rugby Championship markets. Euro, GBP and USD go far in Argentina.

 

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is the most successful team in the history of Rugby World Cup. The Springboks have a record four Men’s Rugby World Cup titles. The wins came in 2023 and 2027 in France, 2019 in Japan and 1995 on home soil.

The country unsuccessfully bid for RWCs 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. The bid for 2023 was considered better than France’s bid; indeed, the Rugby World Cup Board recommended South Africa as the host for RWC 2023. France was allocated RWC 2023 after getting more votes than South Africa as well as Ireland.

Reports suggest that South Africa will not bid to host Rugby World Cup 2035. SA Rugby are yet to finalize a decision on whether to bid or not. Indications from within the country note a lack of optimism about the chances of a second home RWC for the Springboks.