New Zealand express desire of interest to co-host 2025 World Cup

New Zealand Rugby League have expressed a desire in co-hosting the 2025 World Cup alongside Australia following the withdrawal of France

France were set to host the tournament with 128 matches announced across 40 venues for five weeks, with former French Prime Minister Jean Castex announcing the plans last year in Paris.

However, financial difficulties saw France withdraw from the tournament on Monday, leaving the International Rugby League to consider contingency plans in order for the World Cup to take place.

The 2021 World Cup, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, was hosted by England, while the 2017 tournament took place in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

And New Zealand are keen to host the tournament again, having released a statement on social media.

New Zealand keen to co-host 2025 World Cup

“We are exploring the possibility of a Southern Hemisphere RLWC as an alternative to France 2025,” the statement read.

“We’re keen to work with the ARLC to host the tournament in NZ and Australia and have started the conversations.

“Bringing the international tournament down under is an exciting proposition not only for the fans but our Indigenous and Pasifika communities.”

Four venues in New Zealand hosted games across the 2017 campaign in Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch.

The Kiwis faced Samoa, Tonga and Scotland on home soil during the group stages, while Tonga defeated Samoa 32-18 at the Waikato Stadium.

Papua New Guinea also hosted fixtures as the Kumuls played Wales, Ireland and USA at Port Moresby.

Wellington and Christchurch also hosted quarter-finals, while Auckland saw England defeat Tonga 20-18 in the semi-finals.

IRL chair Troy Grant ‘disappointed’ with France withdrawal 

International Rugby League chair Troy Grant said it was ‘difficult to express how disappointed I am’ following France’s decision.

However, the France 2025 board of directors felt they had no choice after the French Government demanded a guarantee for the risk of loss for the event. 

“It’s difficult to express how disappointed I am with this news,” Grant said.

“There’s no secret as to how important the strengthening of France as a rugby league nation is to our global game and central to our strategic plans. 

“The Rugby League World Cup in France in 2025 was always an ambitious project given the unprecedented short lead in time due to the pandemic, however it had the advantage of following and leveraging off the widely acknowledged RLWC2021 success. 

 “The board meets face to face in July and we will then be able to determine together our next steps forward and consider the other bids we have received for not only 2025, but 2029, 2033 and World Cup 9s events in the future. 

“Exciting international content for 2023 and 2024, in addition to the recent historic Tongan tour to England, will be announced publicly shortly, which will be the front end of our much needed and highly anticipated calendar.”  

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