Where Should the 2029 World Cup be held?

[Damien]

1 minute ago, MattSantos said:

I have a different view and that it would be rewarding the smaller nations by giving them more meaningful games and something to aim for. The carrot is a semi-final and final and subsequently, those teams are ranked better for competitions in-between the WCs.

The carrot for the fan and broadcaster is more attractive games.

Scotland & Wales are turning up to lose 3 games. Heavily. I personally don't want to watch that, but then i will contradict myself with the Scotland v NZ game from years back...

I agree that the game is getting stronger, i would like to see those emerging nations then promoted into the Emerging Nations WC, with previous Emerging Nations WC winners etc being promoted to the WC. An approach similar to IMG in a way...

You are making a lot of presumptions in thinking that many of the heritage players that now play for the smaller nations will do so for an emerging nations tournament. I dont think they will and we have seen many times that NRL players and Super League often don't bother for secondary tournaments like this. They don't even bother for qualifiers to the actual World Cup as is. The quality of those teams will deteriorate, crowds will be less and they will be far more unattractive games. The opposite of what you are hoping for.

[GeordieSaint]

Leave the format as it is. We always seem to look through the lense of competitiveness. I am pretty certain if you ask the Greeks or the Jamaicans on this issue, they’d be categorical in their response. 

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, Spidey said:

We've had that many formats of world cups that it'd give SL a run for its money - decide on one and let's try and stick to it for at least 2 concurrent tournaments. 

We have proper qualification games also, this is where maybe we should firm it up and give out less automatic places??  

Novel isn't it? I'm completely with you.

The World Cup has grown and is now in its most mature format with record funding and what promises to be record profits. Profits that will grow and develop the international game to make it better again. Crowds have been fine so far, bar Warrington. Going away from that is going backwards in my opinion and we shouldn't be so insecure about these things, other sports aren't.

[MattSantos]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

You are making a lot of presumptions in thinking that many of the heritage players that now play for the smaller nations will do so for an emerging nations tournament. I dont think they will and we have seen many times that NRL players and Super League often don't bother for secondary tournaments like this. They don't even bother for qualifiers to the actual World Cup as is. The quality of those teams will deteriorate, crowds will be less and they will be far more unattractive games. The opposite of what you are hoping for.

Conversely, you're making assumptions that they won't.

Say you're Luke Keary. Arguably the best player in that Emerging Nations tier. I reckon the chance of playing 5 games with the chance of a trophy at the end would be appealing. Win it and you have a chance to go up to an expanded WC in 4 years as well.. (potentially). 

Also, so what if they don't. It's up those nations to then develop and play at their true sustainable level.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, GeordieSaint said:

Leave the format as it is. We always seem to look through the lense of competitiveness. I am pretty certain if you ask the Greeks or the Jamaicans on this issue, they’d be categorical in their response. 

I don't disagree with a lot of that, i'd want to play against the best teams too. Not necessarily sure that i should be allowed

[Damien]

Just now, MattSantos said:

Conversely, you're making assumptions that they won't.

Say you're Luke Keary. Arguably the best player in that Emerging Nations tier. I reckon the chance of playing 5 games with the chance of a trophy at the end would be appealing. Win it and you have a chance to go up to an expanded WC in 4 years as well.. (potentially). 

Also, so what if they don't. It's up those nations to then develop and play at their true sustainable level.

Based on all evidence to date they wont! I mean there are plenty of other threads bemoaning this and people saying that England need to be in things like the European Championships or no one will play in it or care. I guess we just disagree on this.

[MattSantos]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

Based on all evidence to date they wont! I mean there are plenty of other threads bemoaning this and people saying that England need to be in things like the European Championships or no one will play in it or care. I guess we just disagree on this.

I'm happy to disagree, but can you share that evidence where the 'heritage' players haven't turned up to an Emerging Nations World Cup? Genuinely interested.

[Dave T]

I'm not sure there is a strong argument for just leaving things as they are. Each WC has been unique and had a different format and structure, and you could argue that has helped deliver growth. 

I don't think we should be moving back down in numbers, but we should be open to consider anything and not just do 2025 in the same way as this year just for the sake of it. 

[Keith989]

1 minute ago, MattSantos said:

I'm happy to disagree, but can you share that evidence where the 'heritage' players haven't turned up to an Emerging Nations World Cup? Genuinely interested.

I don't think an Emerging nations world Cup gets the coverage from mainstream sports sites, like the wc has here in Ireland.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, MattSantos said:

I'm happy to disagree, but can you share that evidence where the 'heritage' players haven't turned up to an Emerging Nations World Cup? Genuinely interested.

I never said Emerging Nations Tournament but you know that. There is plenty of evidence showing that they don't turn up for secondary tournaments, World Cup qualifiers and one off games. I am similarly confident they won't turn up for an emerging nations tournament.

[MattSantos]

6 minutes ago, Keith989 said:

I don't think an Emerging nations world Cup gets the coverage from mainstream sports sites, like the wc has here in Ireland.

It'd be no different to now if sold as 1 package. Games would be on the iplayer for example.

What you would see is England playing a tier 1 nation every week rather than Greece one week; commercially, this makes more sense when thinking about attendances, sponsorship, corporate, TV figures.

[Damien]

9 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I'm not sure there is a strong argument for just leaving things as they are. Each WC has been unique and had a different format and structure, and you could argue that has helped deliver growth. 

I don't think we should be moving back down in numbers, but we should be open to consider anything and not just do 2025 in the same way as this year just for the sake of it. 

But I would say all that has been done to get to the stage we are now at, a 16 team World Cup without rigged formats. I can't see us going past 16 but neither can I see us going back down to 14 or less.

[Big Picture]

7 hours ago, Young Blood said:

Canada can't have Europe host it 3 times in a row. US is still a mess and as seen with the Wolfpack there is some interest for the game. Announce it now, give them time to prepare and perhaps the government may spend some money of grassroots there to have a competitive team there.

If I remember the regulations correctly RL won't qualify for any federal government support for its grassroots in Canada until it has 7 provincial associations affiliated with the national federation.  Those are the rules in place here.

[jim_57]

Probably very unlikely but I’d love to see a Pacific World Cup mainly hosted by NZ with games spread around to other Pacific Islands.

Fiji host their pool games, PNG host their pool games and a quarter final. Maybe Tonga and/or Samoa could host a game each. Getting really adventurous Hawaii could host a USA game or New Caledonia could host a France game.

[pahars]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

Maybe a World Cup should be across the world. 

A group in NZ, one in PNG, one in USA, one in England. Or two groups in NH and two in Southern, finals in USA etc. 

Finals over three weeks in one country. 

I think this world cup has maybe demonstrated that the new level of world cup will be out of reach for many countries. Attracting £15m government funding to cover a tournament may mean countries just can't take it on. Not unlike what we may see in RU but they benefit from developing in major markets. 

We do see that the Super-Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Euros etc. are changing how they do things. 

Tournament’s are moving away from a single location Mr T but there are some flaws with your plan: 

The QF’s teams travel costs have now increased dramatically and some will have to be met by IRL. 

You would end up with 3 different poorly resourced teams selling group games. 

A PNG pool would sell itself but in the local currency and so not make any real money. 
 

If having the business end in US then good luck getting a Visa in a few days for a surprise quarter finalist. Alternatively get provisional visas for all but this again adds to cost. 

[Dave T]

Just now, pahars said:

Tournament’s are moving away from a single location Mr T but there are some flaws with your plan: 

The QF’s teams travel costs have now increased dramatically and some will have to be met by IRL. 

You would end up with 3 different poorly resourced teams selling group games. 

A PNG pool would sell itself but in the local currency and so not make any real money. 
 

If having the business end in US then good luck getting a Visa in a few days for a surprise quarter finalist. Alternatively get provisional visas for all but this again adds to cost. 

Agreed, and my suggestion was just indicative and named places at random to be honest. 

Smaller commitments can allow for riskier locations. 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

But I would say all that has been done to get to the stage we are now at, a 16 team World Cup without rigged formats. I can't see us going past 16 but neither can I see us going back down to 14 or less.

Yes, I've no desire to see a reduction tbh. 

[pahars]

25 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Agreed, and my suggestion was just indicative and named places at random to be honest. 

Smaller commitments can allow for riskier locations. 

I think it could work though with a few minor adjustments: 

England group & France group 

quarters E1 v F2 in England & F1 v E2 in France

Australia group & New Zealand group

quarters A1 v NZ2 in Aus & NZ1 v A2 in NZ 

Semis and Final to be held over a week in a destination US area with local tourist board support ie: Southern California or Vegas or Florida. 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, pahars said:

I think it could work though with a few minor adjustments: 

England group & France group 

quarters E1 v F2 in England & F1 v E2 in France

Australia group & New Zealand group

quarters A1 v NZ2 in Aus & NZ1 v A2 in NZ 

Semis and Final to be held over a week in a destination US area with local tourist board support ie: Southern California or Vegas or Florida. 

Yes, I was thinking QF's would be more cross-group, but as per this time, they can create two halves of the draw to manae that....

[Wolford6]

The new Odsal Superdome.

Bradford Council has promised.

[Archie Gordon]

I think I prefer the 14-team RLWC with more evenly-matched games. Like others have said, I could easily skip AUS-SCO, ENG-GRE, TON-WAL, NZL-JAM. 

Obviously, the 2029 finals should take place in the Southern Powerhouse, with a group game in Leicester and a semi final at Old Trafford.

[muckymunksy]

I'd love to see it around the Wakefield area. The home of RL 

Group games at Fev and Ossett United (Double Headers) 

Knockout Games at Waki and Cas 

Final at Elland Road. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ATLANTISMAN]

USA its a done deal:)

P

[Mumby Magic]

4 hours ago, MattSantos said:

Your Mam's garden

 

 

Sorry

Dad?

[Tosh]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

USA its a done deal:)

P

I hope not unless see get to see the $$$ upfront beforehand.