Boston among 27 cities vying to host 2031 Rugby World Cup
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Boston wants to host the Rugby World Cup in 2031, but it'll have to shove past 26 other cities to win the bid.
Why it matters: Rugby isn't as mainstream here as American football, but that's not stopping U.S. cities from vying to host its global men's tournament.
Driving the news: World Rugby, the sport's international governing body, is considering 27 markets to host the men's World Cup, down from 40 earlier this year.
Zoom in: Other hopeful cities and regions include Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, the Bay Area, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, the Los Angeles region, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Vancouver and Washington, D.C.
What they're saying: Alan Gilpin, World Rugby's chief executive, said the 2031 tournament stands to "cement the U.S.'s status as a major player in global rugby" and "inspire and unite new fans, audiences and commercial partners for the sport."
- World Rugby officials say the application process is part of its plan for growth in the U.S., where it hopes to build audiences in "key rugby hubs."
Context: World Rugby held several international matches across the U.S. over the summer to test America's appetite for the sport.
- Friday's announcement happened at the United Rugby Summit in Chicago, where Ireland and New Zealand are set to face off.
Zoom out: Rugby remains niche in the U.S. compared to Major League baseball, football, basketball and now soccer.
- Michael Earmark, president of Roc Nation International, told the BBC in January that rugby needs to lean into its star power to become commercially viable in the U.S. — just like Major League Soccer did with superstar Lionel Messi.
- "Why are the NBA and NFL so popular? Star power," Earmark said at the time. "Rugby needs to learn from those examples — it doesn't need to be exactly the same, but it needs to understand what is important, especially when you go to America."
What's next: World Rugby and USA Rugby (the sport's national governing body) plan to evaluate applicants' venues, feasibility and ability to meet hosting requirements over the next 14 months.
What we're watching: Major League Rugby, the nation's top league, is still trying to find its footing.
- NOLA Gold and the Miami Sharks announced they won't participate in the 2026 season.
- Meanwhile, the league is adding teams.
Yes, but: Interest in the sport is rising, as record crowds continue to gather for games across the U.S.