Argentina enters race to host men’s Rugby World Cup in 2035

The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) says it intends to submit a bid to host the men’s Rugby Union World Cup in 2035, the organisation announced on Tuesday.

The UAR is “moving forward with its official bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup,” according to a statement released by the organisation on Tuesday. 

News of the hosting bid comes ahead of a visit by Alan Gilpin, the chief executive of the World Rugby international federation, to Argentina. 

UAR president Gabriel Travaglini explained that the short-term objective is to “demonstrate that the region is ready.”

Other South American countries such as Chile, Uruguay and Brazil could take part in hosting the tournament by staging matches.

Travaglini said the bid “represents a truly federal ambition and a legacy-driven project that extends beyond our borders,” adding that Gilpin’s visit is “a key step in demonstrating that the region is ready.”

He stressed the desire to stage a tournament that reflects “the passion and progress the game has achieved in every corner of our country.”

The 2027 World Cup will be held in Australia and the 2031 edition in the United States, marking the tournament’s first venture into the Americas. The women’s competition will be staged in those same countries two years later.

In addition to Argentina, Japan – which hosted the tournament in 2019 – also intends to submit a hosting bid.

Argentina is currently ranked fifth in the world. The Pumas have not won the World Cup, though they have been a semi-finalist on three occasions (2007, 2015, 2023).

–TIMES/AFPa