England has been awarded the rights to stage the 2021 Rugby League Men’s and Women’s World Cups. The other bid from Moore Sports International (MSI) for a North American tournament including USA and Canada was very impressive and all indications are that they will see International Rugby League in the near future.

The MSI USA/Canada Bid scored impressively in many areas, including but not limited to, the support of the RLIF strategy to extend the global reach of Rugby League as well as in marketing, commercial support and innovation. The RLIF Board, acknowledging the strength of the MSI USA/Canada bid, made the decision to recommend to Congress in November the award of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup together with, subject to further evaluation, an Inter-nations tournament to MSI USA/Canada to be played between the 2021 and 2025 World Cups.

RLIF CEO David Collier said, “The MSI USA/Canada Bid provided the RLIF with an unprecedented opportunity to take Rugby League’s pinnacle Event, the World Cup, to the commercially lucrative and passionate sports audience of North America. As outlined in the Bid presentation, significant opportunities with regards to Rugby League development at both the elite level and even more extensively at the junior levels of the game, gave MSI USA/Canada’s Bid extremely compelling qualities. The bid process was highly competitive and the Board was very impressed by the MSI USA/Canada bid which was of the highest quality. The RLIF sees a great future for the sport in North America and has recommended that discussions with MSI are expedited to bring professional Rugby League to North America as well as future international tournaments. Those discussions are being progressed with MSI USA/Canada and a report will be presented to Congress which will be held on 19 November this year.”

Canada Rugby League President Paul O’Keefe says, “We fully support the MSI North American bid and look forward to hearing the final results of the RLIF Congress and their Decision in regards to USA/Canada hosting the 2025 RLWC! To see future Rugby League played at all levels, from grassroots to professional, across the USA and Canada would be an outstanding result, and there’s no greater catalyst to growing the sport than showcasing the world’s very best International Rugby League teams.”