France Secures 2025 Rugby League World Cup
France has secured the hosting rights for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup, bringing the tournament back to the country for the first time in more than half a century.
The sport’s governing body in France announced the news ahead of a press conference that will be led by the country’s Prime Minister, Jean Castex, tomorrow (11th January).
The French Rugby League Federation confirmed, “The Prime Minister will announce the launch of the Rugby League World Cup, which will be organised by France in 2025.
“This international event, which has not been organised in France for more than 50 years, will help promote the influence of French sport and is intended to incorporate the entire territory, by being organised in around 40 towns.”
The 2025 tournament will mark the 17th edition of the international event, which was first held in France in 1954 and returned to the country in 1972.
The Rugby League World Cup will follow two other huge international events on the calendar in France, which will also host rugby union’s premier international tournament, the Rugby World Cup, in 2023, before the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrive in Paris the following year.
The 2025 Rugby League World Cup was initially slated to take place in North America for the first time, but financial concerns surrounding the move scuppered the plans.
International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant announced last March his desire to take the tournament back to France, and an official bid by the country’s governing body in the sport was launched in July. With France deemed to be the preferred destination from the outset, no other countries entered the running.
French rugby league, which was hugely popular in the south of the country before the Second World War, has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, partly thanks to the success of Perpignan-based Catalans Dragons (pictured), which reached the Grand Final of the UK-based Super League for the first time in 2021. Last year, Toulouse Olympique secured promotion to Super League, ensuring the division will have two representatives in the upcoming season.
The 2021 Rugby League World Cup, delayed due to disruption caused by Covid-19, will take place in England later this year, from 15th October to 19th November. For the first time, the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments will take place at the same time.
The previous edition of the competition was co-hosted by Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in 2017.
