South Africa has joined the race to host the 2030 International Rugby League (IRL) Men’s Rugby League World Cup, joining four other nations in presenting a bid in the most ‘geographically extensive bidding group’ in men’s rugby league (RL) history.
The IRL also announced last week that South Africa will also be presenting a bid for the 2028 IRL Women’s Rugby League World Cup.
Bids will be tabled by Papua New Guinea, Kenya, New Zealand and the United States, with Maxxium Sport Enterprise which will be the local promoter for the South African event.
Maxxium Sport Enterprise is a sports agency that boasts ‘experience working on some of South Africa’s biggest sporting events’.
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‘South Africa has a long historical association with rugby league, having played from 1956 and competed in the 1995 and 2000 Rugby League World Cups and sending a student team to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup in Leeds, United Kingdom,’ said Chris Botes, Bid Lead.
‘South Africa got close to hosting the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and we are now in a strong position to host the 2030 Men’s Rugby League World Cup and possible also the 2028 Women’s Rugby League World Cup. Both events bring significant tourism numbers to South Africa and has tremendous economic benefit to all South Africans,’ Botes added.
Dr Frans Erasmus, South African RL president, also believes that hosting the 2030 World Cup will be a ‘pivotal opportunity’ for elevating the sport’s profile in both South Africa and on the African continent.
‘We are thrilled to announce our bid to host the 2030 Rugby League World Cup. This represents not only a monumental opportunity for South African Rugby League but also for the entire continent,’ said Erasmus.
‘Our history of successfully hosting major international sporting events, combined with our world-class facilities and the unwavering support of our fans, positions us uniquely to deliver an extraordinary World Cup experience. This bid is more than just an event; it’s a chance to solidify rugby league’s place on both the international and national sports calendars and to showcase the growth and passion for the sport in South Africa and beyond,’ Erasmus added.
‘With the unwavering support of our passionate sport fans, our world-class facilities and the backing of our dedicated stakeholders, we are confident that South Africa will deliver a truly exceptional IRL World Cup experience, setting a new standard for excellence,’ Erasmus stated.
Rugby league, also known as rugby league football or ‘footy’ in Oceania, is a full-contact sport, first played in England in 1895.
The game is similar to Rugby Union, both in terms of name and style of play, but there are a few ‘fundamental differences’, particularly regarding the rules.
While playing with a rugby ball, a rugby league game involves 13 players per side and doesn’t feature any lineouts or rucks. It is also considered to be much more ‘physical and dynamic’ when compared to rugby and often features ‘big hits’ and fast play.
The RL World Cup was first hosted in France in 1954, making it the second-oldest World Cup event in the world, behind only the FIFA World Cup.
South Africa’s involvement in the sport started three years later, when a South African side played against England and France on home soil in two matches.
The South African team, known as the Rhinos, has competed in multiple World Cups, with the team making it as far as the quarterfinals in the 2013 Student edition.
They have a chance to qualify for the 2026 IRL International Rugby League World Cup in Australia at the 2025 IRL World Series.
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