Reviewed by: Mary Helene Hall
Why Birmingham could host the 2031 Rugby World Cup
Reading time: 3 minutes
Birmingham is in the running to host the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031, World Rugby confirmed earlier this month.
The Magic City joins 26 other cities and areas that have formally entered the “Applicant Phase” of the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2031 Host Selection Process.
The 2031 Rugby World Cup will be the first one hosted in the United States. The event is the third-largest global sporting event, coming in behind the FIFA World Cup and Olympics.
The cities Birmingham will compete against to host the event are:
Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles Region, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, Vancouver and Washington D.C.
Birmingham is supported by WorldRugbyShop.com
As reported by Bham Now in May 2022, Birmingham’s bid for the Rugby World Cup was endorsed by WorldRugbyShop.com, a local company that is North America’s largest online Rugby shop.
Locally, Birmingham’s close knit Rugby community is also excited about bringing the sport’s biggest matches to The Magic City.
“Rugby has been a huge part of my life. My entire family has all played. I met my wife through rugby and a lot of the men and women in Birmingham Rugby (the two main clubs are the Birmingham Vulcans & Birmingham Steel) would say the same about how much it means to them and their families.
“Just the opportunity to have the Rugby World Cup in the United States is huge. We have an opportunity to not just promote the sport in the United States, but if we could get a pool match or any kind of match in Birmingham, that would be an amazing way to promote Birmingham Rugby.”
Michael Laney, Executive Director, Alabama Youth Rugby
Next steps toward the Rugby World Cup
Over the next 14 months, World Rugby and USA Rugby will assess, evaluate and collaborate with all applicants and venues through a detailed engagement process, according to the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau. This includes:
- Team base feasibility visits, which are already underway
- In-depth venue evaluations, beginning November 2025
- Sharing of detailed hosting requirements, opportunities and legacy potential
At the end of 2026, a reduced number of cities and venues will move into the Candidate Phase, marking the start of formal contracting.
It is World Rugby’s intention to announce the final selection of host cities and venues following the completion of Rugby World Cup 2027.
