South Africa cannot afford to host the Rugby World Cup because the infrastructure costs are astronomical, and the government would have to dump serious cash into stadium upgrades. SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said at a sponsorship event in Johannesburg that asking for millions in public funding right after would be completely irresponsible given the current economic situation. The country has not hosted since 1995, and every bid since then got rejected.
Australia already locked down 2027, and the United States is taking 2031, which means the earliest shot would be 2035 if conditions improve. Alexander thinks future tournaments will keep going to wealthier nations that can handle the financial burden without breaking their budgets.
The alternative is focusing on big matches that do not require massive spending, like the upcoming Springboks versus All Blacks test series. Alexander believes that rivalry could actually deliver better entertainment than a British and Irish Lions tour while using stadiums that already exist.
Australia already locked down 2027, and the United States is taking 2031, which means the earliest shot would be 2035 if conditions improve. Alexander thinks future tournaments will keep going to wealthier nations that can handle the financial burden without breaking their budgets.
The alternative is focusing on big matches that do not require massive spending, like the upcoming Springboks versus All Blacks test series. Alexander believes that rivalry could actually deliver better entertainment than a British and Irish Lions tour while using stadiums that already exist.
