2025 Rugby League World Cup

The 2025 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2025) was a planned collection of world cups in the sport of rugby league which was replaced by the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

2025 (2025) Rugby League World Cup  ()
Number of teams
Host country France
Matches played93 (planned)
 < 2021
2026 > 

Like 2021, the 2025 World Cup was to have run the men's, women's and wheelchair world cups simultaneously, in addition to a youth World Cup.[1][2]

Originally due to be staged in the USA and Canada, the offer was withdrawn due to financial concerns, hosting was subsequently awarded to France. In May 2023 the French organisers pulled out of hosting the games. On 3 August 2023 the tournaments were cancelled by the sport's governing body with the announcement that a new reduced-size tournament would take place in the southern hemisphere in 2026.[3][4][5][6]

Host selection
Main article: Rugby League World Cup hosts

Host 1: United States and Canada

After the United States lost the 2021 Rugby League World Cup bid to England, International Rugby League (IRL) recommended that the United States and Canada should host the 2025 event after a bid by Moore Sports International.[7] The IRL Congress reviewed that recommendation at a meeting in November 2016.[8] On 20 November, it was announced that the United States and Canada bid had won the rights to host the 2025 World Cup. This would have been the first time the tournament was held outside of Europe and Oceania.[9][10]

On 4 December 2018, plans for the World Cup to be held in North America were scrapped due to financial concerns and that the location of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup would be determined by a new bidding process in 2019.[11]

Host 2: France

In March 2021, it was reported that France is the preferred destination for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup.[12] France officially lodged a bid later that year, in July.[13]

In January 2022, France won the bid to host the world cup. The official announcement announcing France as the host nation was made on 11 January 2022 by then French prime minister, Jean Castex, who described hosting the tournament as "a tremendous asset for economic appeal and social cohesion".[14][15][16][17]

International Rugby League president Troy Grant stated:[17]

"The rebirth of international rugby league in France has been a strategic goal of our sport for many decades and I am delighted that it will now become a reality through this award of the 2025 World Cup to France."

On 12 May 2023 reports began circulating that France would withdraw from hosting the tournament.[18]

On 15 May, it was announced that France had withdrawn as hosts, due to financial concerns from the new French government, elected in May 2022.[19][20][21][22][23] French rugby league journalist Rodolphe Pires cited the lack of regular international matches and France's poor performances in recent years as a contributing factor to the French Government's decision.[24]

Controversy surrounding the withdrawal

Following the withdrawal of France as hosts, organisers and journalists began to criticise the French government on their decision as it was reported that that the French Government were demanding "financial guarantee to cover the risk of losses". Controversy comes from the planned investment of €10,000,000 being dwarfed compared to the money already invested by the French Government into the 2023 Rugby Union World Cup (~€170,000,000[25]) and 2024 Summer Olympics (~€1,500,000,000[26]). Other journalists have also likened the dissociation of rugby league by the French Government to the sport's ban under the Vichy France regime.[27][28]

Reaction to the withdrawal

International Rugby League president Troy Grant statement on the withdrawal:[22]

"I respect the French government's decision amid the challenges they are facing but I can't hide my disappointment, that I conveyed clearly to them in person. Despite our focus having been on France, we will now accelerate our consideration of other contingency options."

Grant also expressed that France will continue to be "central to our strategic plans", whilst acknowledging that the 2025 tournament was an ambitious project from the start, but one believed possible after the success of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.[22]

Rodolphe Pires described the withdrawal as a "betrayal" to French rugby league fans.[24]

Sam Tomkins, captain of the largest club in France, Catalans Dragons, described the withdrawal as a "huge blow" to French rugby league and continued to say it was something that the French public "were really looking forward to".[29]

Subsequent action and cancellation

One day after France's withdrawal, New Zealand announced it was considering a bid to host the tournament in 2026, as well as a bid with potential co-hosts Australia which could be staged in the intended 2025.[30][31] Fiji, Qatar, and South Africa had also expressed interest.[32][33][34][35]

In August 2023 the IRL announced that the 2025 tournaments were cancelled with the next events to take place in 2026 in the southern hemisphere and with the number of nations taking part in the men's tournament reduced from 16 to 10. The number of women's and wheelchair teams participating remained at 8 after a planned expansion to 16.[3][4][5][6]

Nations

At the time of cancellation, 17 nations had qualified for the four tournaments:[36]

Note: M=Men's tournament, W=Women's tournament, WC=Wheelchair tournament, Y=Youth tournament

Venues

For the tournament, 38 cities bid to host matches across the men's, women's, wheelchair, and youth competitions. These were:

Albi, Arras, Autun, Beauvais, Blagnac, Begles, Besancon, Biganos, Bordeaux, Boulazac, Carcassonne, Chambery, Chatillon, Issoire, Le Creusot, Le Mans, Libourne, Limoges, Limoux, Lourdes, Marmande-Tonneins, Martigues, Massy, Montauban, Montlucon; Narbonne, Nice, Paris, Perigueux, Perpignan, Pia, Roanne, Salon-de-Provence, Toulouse, Trelissac, Vannes, Vichy, Villefrance-de-Rouergue, Villeneuve-sur-Lot.

It was intended that Paris, Toulouse and Marseille would host the final and semi-finals of the men's tournament.[2]

References
  1. "'The Rooster is going to sing again': France aiming high for 2025 World Cup". National Rugby League. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  2. "Everything you need to know about the 2025 World Cup in France". 11 January 2022.
  3. "Southern hemisphere to host 2026 World Cup". BBC Sport. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  4. "Reduced Rugby League World Cup to take place in 2026". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. "2026 Rugby League World Cup to be hosted in southern hemisphere". The Independent. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. "Rugby League World Cup 2025 to be delayed". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  7. "US-Canada set to host Rugby League World Cup in 2025". nzherald.co.nz. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  8. "England to host RLWC2021 – North America recommended for RLWC2025". rlif.com. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 November 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  9. "Rugby League World Cup moves to North America in 2025". stuff sport. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  10. "North America to Host 2025 Rugby league World Cup". Canada Rugby League Association. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  11. Adrian Proszenko (4 December 2018). "US World Cup hosting plans torpedoed by money trouble". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  12. Dave Woods (30 March 2021). "International Rugby League Board planning 2025 World Cup in France". BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  13. "France officially to bid to host 2025 Rugby League World Cup | Rugby League Planet". Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  14. "France to host 2025 World Cup". National Rugby League. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  15. Shaw, Matthew (2022-01-11). "French Prime Minister Jean Castex's pride after securing Rugby League World Cup". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  16. "France set to host the 2025 Rugby League World Cups". Asia Pacific Rugby League. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  17. "France to host 2025 Rugby League World Cup 71 years after hosting sport's first showpiece in 1954". Sky Sports.
  18. ""It's quite shocking and alarming" – 2025 World Cup reportedly in doubt". LoveRugbyLeague. 12 May 2023.
  19. "France pulls out of hosting Rugby League World Cup". BBC Sport. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  20. "France no longer able to host 2025 Rugby League World Cup". seriousaboutrl.com. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  21. Bower, Aaron (15 May 2023). "2025 Rugby League World Cup in doubt after France pull out of staging event". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  22. "France withdraw from hosting 2025 Rugby League World Cup over financial concerns". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  23. "Confirmed: France will not host 2025 Rugby League World Cup". LoveRugbyLeague. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  24. ""French Rugby League fans feel betrayed" – Commentator reveals World Cup fallout". seriousaboutrl.com. 16 May 2023.
  25. "Rugyby - France pads bid to land 2023 World Cup". Reuters. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  26. "Government report sees Paris Olympics 500 million euros over budget". Reuters. 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  27. "Sadness and anger as Government slammed for treatment of rugby league". LoveRugbyLeague. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  28. Pattison, Cam (2023-05-15). "Explained: Why France will no longer host 2025 World Cup". Rugby League News. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  29. "Sam Tomkins: Catalans Dragons star believes France World Cup hosting withdrawal a 'huge blow' for French rugby league". Sky Sports. 17 May 2023.
  30. Hytner, Mike (2023-05-16). "New Zealand makes bid to co-host 2025 Rugby League World Cup with Australia after France pulls out". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  31. "New Zealand keen to host 2025 Rugby League World Cup with Australia after France pull-out". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  32. "Fiji, Qatar & South Africa express World Cup interest - BBC Sport". BBC News. 2023-05-17. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03.
  33. "The four countries to have shown interest in hosting the 2025 World Cup". LoveRugbyLeague. 17 May 2023.
  34. "Qatar steps up to join bidders for next Rugby League World Cup in 2025". The Guardian. 17 May 2023.
  35. "Qatar expresses an interest in staging Rugby League World Cup". Total Rugby League. 17 May 2023.
  36. "International Rugby League announces qualification places for France 2025". Asia Pacific Rugby League. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
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