HULL KR and Brisbane Broncos will do battle in the World Club Challenge at Hull FC’s MKM Stadium on Thursday, February 19th.

But it could have all been so different had a AU$1.5 million (£740,000) offer from the Middle East being accepted, according to The Courier Mail.

That offer would have seen two Qatari venues – the Khalifa International and the Lusail – in the mix, with Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd Sports City Stadium also considered.

The Qatar stadiums hold just under 46,000 and 89,000 respectively, whilst the King Fahd holds 70,000.

Brisbane chief executive Dave Donaghy told The Courier Mail: “The Middle East approach came directly to us after the Grand Final.

“We had an approach from a Middle Eastern venue that put forward an offer for us to play there. We were certainly interested.

“It would have been the richest rugby league game in the world.”

Hull KR’s participation in the Las Vegas event, taking a league fixture with Leeds Rhinos to the USA, a week after the agreed World Club Challenge date, is said to have been a crucial stumbling block to further exploring the deal.

Instead it is being hosted in England, albeit with the MKM Stadium chosen as the venue due to the bigger capacity of 25,500 as opposed to Craven Park – the home of Super League winners Hull KR – which holds around half that figure.

Hull KR announced that all 24,600 tickets made available were sold out within two days.