Phoenix is backing a bid for Arizona to host the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031.
City leaders passed a resolution on Aug. 26 supporting the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance’s application to be among the hosts during the tournament’s first-ever staging in the nation.
In 2022, World Rugby announced that the competition, held every four years, will come to the U.S. in fall 2031, prompting cities and states to compete for the opportunity to hold some of the matches.
Nearly 30 areas and communities, including Arizona, moved into the application stage of the selection process, World Rugby confirmed in October.
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That list also includes, in part, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, the Los Angeles region, Miami, Nashville, New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
For about the past 10 months, World Rugby has been evaluating the applicants and venues, visiting the facilities where matches could be played.
By the end of the year, the organization said it will narrow the list of prospective host cities and move on to the “candidate phase.”
The Sports & Events Alliance is tasked with attracting major events in Arizona.
If it is awarded the rugby contract, matches would be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, while Phoenix is likely to host fan-related activities and events, according to the city.
That’s often been the case during other major sporting events like the NFL Super Bowl and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four.
The city’s support for the Rugby World Cup comes on the heels of the latest men’s FIFA World Cup, which was held in cities throughout North America.
Phoenix was not among the cities that participated in this year’s soccer tournament.
Sports, tourism, and government officials withdrew from the bidding process in 2017 after weighing the costs against the limited tourism benefits for Arizona. Communities reportedly spent tens of millions of dollars on requirements, including security and transportation.
It’s unclear how much metro Phoenix communities would be expected to spend to fulfill their hosting requirements should the Sports & Events Alliance win the bid. A representative from the organization could not be reached for comment on Aug. 26.
The next Men’s Rugby World Cup will take place in Australia between October and November 2027. World Rugby said the slate of host cities and venues for the 2031 tournament would be announced afterward.
Reporting by Shawn Raymundo, Arizona Republic
