Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are reportedly planning a combined bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup. If successful, it would be the first time the prestigious tournament has been organised in the Middle East and the first time multiple nations have hosted it, following in the footsteps of football’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Rugby Asia supports the application, hoping to return the championship to the continent following Japan’s successful 2019 World Cup. Rugby Asia President Qais Al Dhalai feels that a multi-city hosting concept might boost rugby’s worldwide appeal.
Despite the excellent infrastructure, issues exist. None of the three bidding nations has previously competed in a World Cup. The UAE is the highest-ranked, at 48th, followed by Qatar at 87th. Saudi Arabia does not even appear in the world rankings. To provide automatic inclusion for the host nations, qualification rules would need to be changed.
The weather is another issue. The traditional September-October timetable would be too hot, necessitating a move to December/January. This might interrupt global rugby schedules. Italy, Spain, and South Africa will all compete for the bid. The bidding procedure will start within the next two years.
