England favourites to host 2025 Rugby World Cup with confirmation expected on Thursday | Rugby Union News

England are the frontrunners to host the 2025 women’s World Cup while Australia look set to host the 2027 men’s World Cup and the women’s showpiece two years later; the USA is set to be awarded the 2031 and 2033 editions in a move that would help grow the sport in the country

New Zealand’s Fiao’o Faamausili lifts the trophy after the 2017 women’s World Cup final

The destination of five World Cups will be confirmed on Thursday when the World Rugby Council vote in Dublin on host countries for the upcoming tournaments.

While France are geared up to welcome nations from across the globe in 2023, there are several other key decisions to be made for the men’s and women’s editions in the years to follow.

England are the frontrunners to host the 2025 women’s World Cup while Australia look set to host the 2027 men’s World Cup and the women’s showpiece two years later.

The USA is set to be awarded the 2031 and 2033 editions in a move that would help grow the sport in the country, given it does not hold the history and tradition associated with England and Australia when it comes to rugby union.

England is the favourite to host the 2025 Rugby World Cup

The 2025 women’s tournament will see participants increased from 12 to 16 teams, as World Rugby implements its strategic plan to transform the women’s game.

President Joe Biden expressed his support for USA Rugby’s bid last month with a letter which was part of material submitted ahead of Thursday’s World Rugby Council meeting in Ireland, where a vote followed by a press conference to announce the respective hosts will take place.

USA international Nick Civetta will be long retired by the time the 2031 World Cup comes around, but he insists his current team-mates have a big role to play in America’s bid.

South Africa’s Siya Kolisi lifts the trophy as South Africa win the 2019 Rugby World Cup

The United States face Chile in a two-legged qualifier in July to decide who will qualify for the 2023 World Cup in France.

Civetta recently helped Oxford University to men’s Varsity success at Twickenham and believes it is imperative USA are represented in France next year.

“As a player and as someone who wants to go to this World Cup, I think we have a massive role,” he told the PA news agency.

“We still have to qualify this summer and we have to show World Rugby we are a serious outfit. Covid was tough on the union, we went two years without a Test match and it absolutely killed our ability to develop players and to prepare ourselves properly for qualification for this World Cup.

The USA could be awarded the 2031 and 2033 tournaments

“We are massively looking forward to the opportunity to qualify this summer and there is a huge amount of energy that will go into that.

“In the long term obviously it would be massive to get the World Cup. The amount of investment that could flow into the sport in the US during that time frame and the opportunity is massive.

“It comes at a time when the MLR (Major League Rugby) is growing, the quality of play is increasing every week and the visibility. Those two things are aligning really nicely.

“If we’re able to get the World Cup in the US, it would be a game-changer for the finances of the game. The finances in the US have always been an issue but having a goal that is set in stone nine to 10 years down the road should give a lot of investors a lot of confidence and should bring a sea change.”