Saudis may bid for 2035 RWC” - The Rugby Paper

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    The Rugby Paper - a good read and normally well sourced stories. 

SAUDI Arabia are looking to step up their programme of hosting major sporting events with a sensational bid for the 2035 Rugby World Cup.

The Rugby Paper understands that the Kingdom is preparing to throw their hat into the ring and rival Japan, Italy and England to host the event.

Australia were successful in their bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup in May 2022, while the United States were nodded through as hosts of the tournament four years later.

Japan became the first host outside the traditional Tier 1 nations when they held the 2019 World Cup, while England last held the tournament in 2015, crashing out at the group stages.

England has long been seen as the piggy bank that allowed World Rugby to break new ground in Japan, but the Kingdom can generate the kind of revenue Twickenham’s money men can only dream about. The oil-rich nation have a Public Investment Fund with total estimated assets of £540 billion. They are owners of Newcastle United and established LIV golf, and have been widely accused of socalled ‘sportswashing’. They have expressed a strong interest in hosting major sports events and, at the end of last year, were considering a bid for the 2036 Olympics and 2040 Fifa World Cup.

Rugby has been played in the Kingdom for nearly 50 years after being introduced by ex-pat Brits. In 2012 the national team, made up of local players who had their first-ever win in 2010, finished third in the West Asia 7s and the sport is described as minor but growing.

Edited by Marylebone - 02 Aug 2023 at 10:22