United States Named Host Union for 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cup Tournaments

PITTSBURGH – The World Rugby Council today named USA Rugby as the official host union for the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Now, the Pittsburgh Local Organizing Committee will move forward to submit a formal bid to serve as one of the 10-12 host cities for both Rugby World Cup Tournaments.

The 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup will mark the first time a men’s tournament has been held in North or South America, with a new hosting concept being put in place for the U.S. to stage consecutive Men’s and Women’s events within the same organizational structure. The Men’s Rugby World Cup is the third-largest sports event, and the Women’s Rugby World Cup is the fastest growing women’s event in the world.

“Today is such an exciting day for USA Rugby and for the sport of rugby in the United States,” SportsPITTSBURGH Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins said. “I would like to congratulate USA Rugby and the Rugby World Cup Bid Committee on orchestrating a successful bid campaign and securing this tremendous opportunity for the United States.

“Pittsburgh has long supported this bid and has maintained tremendous interest in hosting the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cup Tournaments in the City of Champions. The real work for Pittsburgh begins now. Our Local Organizing Committee will collaborate and work toward submitting a formal bid that demonstrates that Pittsburgh is an international sports destination deserving of this world stage. Our long-term plan is to support the growth of rugby in our Pittsburgh community and highlight that our region is more than capable of hosting large-scale sports events.”

Several venues will be included in Pittsburgh’s bid packet to USA Rugby, but the focus will revolve around the iconic Heinz Field.

“Heinz Field is one of the nation’s leading stadiums, and there is great confidence that the facility would provide a world-class experience for the rugby athletes, coaches, teams and fans,” said Burt Lauten, Pittsburgh Steelers Director of Communications. “Thanks to our convenient location on the North Shore, Heinz Field will offer ample space for fan zones and game-day events, all set against spectacular views of our beautiful Pittsburgh skyline.”

Rugby is growing in popularity across the United States. In fact, research shows there is strong interest in attending Rugby World Cup matches among rugby fans, with 90% saying they’d be interested in watching or attending a Men’s Rugby World Cup hosted by the U.S., and 82% saying the same for a Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“Pittsburgh is home to a passionate rugby community who will undoubtedly embrace the opportunity to welcome this pair of Rugby World Cup Tournaments,” said Matt Rosemeyer, former Executive Director for the Pittsburgh Harlequins Rugby Football Association. “I fully support Pittsburgh’s bid to host the upcoming Rugby World Cup Tournaments. I look forward to working with the LOC and creating sustainable long-term growth in the United States and, more importantly, in Pittsburgh.”

In addition to Pittsburgh, the following localities also will continue to pursue the opportunity to host matches in either or both Rugby World Cup Tournaments: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Glendale, AZ; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; New York/New Jersey; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco Bay Area, CA; Seattle, WA and Washington, D.C.

The U.S. is one of the most prominent emerging nations in rugby and will look to build on the historic success of Rugby World Cup 2019. The 2019 tournament in Japan generated more than $340 million USD in ticket sales, $87 million USD from hospitality and inspired more than 2.2 million people in Asia to play rugby for the first time.