SA Rugby boss: Why New Zealand and South Africa may never host a Rugby World Cup again
Rugby World Cup-winning captains Richie McCaw and Francois Pienaar.
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer doubts that New Zealand or South Africa will host a Rugby World Cup again, as the two countries are unable to generate sufficient revenue.
The Springboks and All Blacks are the most successful nations in the tournament’s history, collectively winning seven of the ten quadrennial competitions.
New Zealand co-hosted the first tournament back in 1987 with Australia before being the sole host in 2011, while South Africa has hosted the competition just once, in 1995, failing to win the bid on several occasions since – most recently in 2023 to France.
The next men’s World Cup will be hosted in Australia in 2027, followed by the United States of America thereafter, and while there were hopes that the tournament could return to the African continent or Aoteoroa in the future, Oberholzer cannot see it working out.
The challenge for South Africa and New Zealand
This is because the tournament is the sole revenue stream that World Rugby has to fund its unions over a four-year period, and taking the competition to America, Europe and even the Middle East is more profitable than South Africa or New Zealand.
“It is a challenge for us going forward,” Oberholzer told reporters in Cape Town.
“The Rugby World Cup is the only revenue stream for World Rugby that must fund the whole ecosystem.
“All the members must get some funding out of the Rugby World Cup. Therefore, World Rugby must take the tournament to where it can generate the most revenue and go where there is support from local and national governments.”
Oberholzer’s comments seemingly pour cold water over the reports that South Africa could throw their name into the hat to host the 2035 tournament. Last year, it was reported that South Africa was in discussions with World Rugby to decide whether it should launch a bid or not.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin has revealed that the governing body was considering a return to Europe in 2035, with Spain officially announcing their bid in their Christmas message to supporters last year.
Japan have also announced their bid as the Asian country hopes to host its second tournament, having done so in 2019, while it’s believed that Argentina could spearhead a joint South American bid along with Uruguay, Chile and Brazil.
Italy are also eyeing up hosting the World Cup in 2035 or 2039, whilst Middle Eastern nations – Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – and are considering a bid, possibly for the former.
All about the money
“If you compare us to Europe, for example, I cannot see that money will ever be the same in terms of how much they can generate there, and perhaps the Middle East in the future, than in South Africa,” Oberholzer continued.
“It’s a World Rugby decision, not a SA Rugby decision, and World Rugby will drive World Cups to where they believe they will make the most money, and we have to understand that.
“We can’t complain and ask for a World Cup in your country, make less money and then want the biggest slice of the cake when it comes to the annual grant that comes from World Rugby. It is about income generation to feed the whole rugby ecosystem.”
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The SA Rugby boss adds that World Rugby and the top rugby-playing nations have shifted from the ‘philosophy’ of everyone getting a fair opportunity to host the tournament, as it’s now very much about the money.
“I think we have moved away from the philosophy that everyone must get an equal chance to host a World Cup,” he said.
“A World Cup in New Zealand and South Africa will not make the money that World Rugby needs a World Cup to generate. I don’t think it is a negative for us, but more of what is in the best interests of World Rugby.”
