SANZAAR and Six Nations favour £800m Qatar bid to host the ‘Super Bowl of Rugby’ – report
South Africa's Siya Kolisi lifts the Qatar Airways Cup and a general view of Al Lusail Stadium in Doha.
Qatar have reportedly entered advanced negotiations to host World Rugby’s Nations Championship finals with Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR.
The biennial tournament is set to begin in 2026 with a top division of 12 teams (the Six Nations unions, SANZAAR unions and two further unions) and a second division, run by World Rugby, consisting of a further 12 nations.
The Nations Championship will be played during the July and November international windows, with the Six Nations teams touring to the southern hemisphere for three Tests every other summer before hosting three matches in November.
Initially, World Rugby didn’t reveal plans for a ‘finals series’ but Qatar have made a pitch to host such an event, according to a report by the Telegraph.
Qatar’s bid
Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy reportedly pitched the idea to all 12 nations that will compete in the Nations Championship top division last month and have now been granted an exclusive two-month negotiation period.
According to the report, the bid has been dubbed the “Super Bowl of Rugby,” as Qatar proposes a three-day sporting festival at multiple venues in Doha, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup final was hosted.
The proposal includes guarantees of £800 million in revenue for Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR for the first four editions of the final series.
IMG have reportedly tabled a rival offer to the two governing bodies but, according to the report, they have opted to pursue to Qatari option instead.
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World Rugby’s involvement
World Rugby are understood to be involved in the talks but the final decision will be taken by Six Nations Rugby and SANZAAR, who will run the first division of the Nations Championship.
Unsurprisingly, the report has already drawn criticism from fans considering Qatar’s stance on multiple human rights issues, but the potential revenues for the rugby unions could sway the governing bodies.
One of the biggest concerns would be whether enough fans would travel to the Middle East for the final series, as well as the player welfare aspect of adding another fixture to an already bloated calendar.
Qatar’s interest in hosting a final series also comes off the back of World Rugby publishing a ‘landmark’ report looking at the projected impacts of climate change on the sport of rugby.
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