SA Rugby president Mark Alexander says it’s simply not financially viable to host the Rugby World Cup again.
South Africa hosted the global showpiece for the first and only time in 1995. Since then, there have been failed bids from SA Rugby for the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 tournaments.
The 2027 edition will take place in Australia, followed by the United States in 2031. The selection process for the 2035 World Cup hosts opened in September.
“If we want to host the Rugby World Cup, the country also has to contribute quite a bit of money,” Alexander said at a sponsorship event in Johannesburg, as quoted by News24.
“I think right now, it’ll be kind of reckless of us to go to government and expect them to dig deep into their pockets to upgrade certain facilities.”
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According to Alexander, future World Cup events are likely to continue to be hosted by wealthier nations.
He said the Test series between the Springboks and All Blacks in 2026 – dubbed the Greatest Rugby Rivalry – is a far more realistic goal.
“We believe it will be bigger than hosting a British & Irish Lions tour. But we won’t put a lot of onus on the country … it’s not like hosting the World Cup … we’ll be hosting it in our existing venues and we can manage that without putting a burden on our fiscus as a country.”
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