Rugby League World Cup: New Zealand in talks to host tournament after France pull out

The Kiwis during the 2021 World Cup. Photo / Photosport

The Rugby League World Cup could be coming back to New Zealand shores again, much sooner than expected.

France have withdrawn from hosting the 2025 World Cup tournament, which was set to include the men’s, women’s, wheelchair and youth events.

French organisers said they couldn’t fully meet financial guarantees for the risk of loss demanded by the French government, and relinquished the staging rights.

International Rugby League expressed its dismay at the decision.

“It’s difficult to express how disappointed I am with this news,” IRL chair Troy Grant said in a statement.

Grant said the IRL board will meet in July to options for the 2025 World Cup.

England hosted the previous World Cup last October-November. It combined the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions successfully, but was delayed for a year by the pandemic.

The most obvious alternative to stage the tournament was Australia or New Zealand. They shared the event in 2017.

In a statement, New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Greg Peters said they’re exploring the possibility of a southern hemisphere World Cup.

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

Grant praised the French organising committee for achieving a lot in a short time, and lamented the loss of a major opportunity to strengthen France as a rugby league nation by staging its own World Cup for the first time in 53 years.

“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,” Grant said.

“We will now accelerate our consideration of other contingency options.”