The United States will host the Rugby World Cup for the first time – Chicago Tribune

The United States will host the Rugby World Cup for the first time after being chosen to host the men’s tournament in 2031 and the women’s two years later.

The world rugby team announced the host countries for the World Cup between 2025 and 2033 after a board meeting in Dublin on Thursday. Australia will also host back-to-back tournaments in 2027 (men) and 2029 (women).

The sport is breaking new ground by bringing the men’s championship – the world’s most lucrative asset – to North America, which the board sees as an area of ​​untapped potential both commercially and sportingly. The Women’s World Cup was held in Canada in 2006.

American Rugby Union CEO Ross Young described the decision as “a catalyst for changing the paradigm for the growth of our sport, not just here in the United States but around the world.”

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“USA will now usher in rugby into a new era, ensuring that the sport’s most prized event is a stepping stone to creating enduring and sustainable enthusiasm and passion for coast-to-coast rugby,” Young added.

In some parts of the world, the Men’s Rugby World Cup is the third largest sporting event, after the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics.

The United States will host all three competitions over a five-year period starting in 2026, starting with that year’s men’s soccer World Cup – hosted by Mexico and Canada – and then the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.