Report: 2025 World Cup on verge of collapse

[hunsletgreenandgold]

53 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

If this world cup doesn't go ahead at all (because let's face it, asking anyone to plan and stage a world cup with 3 years notice us a recipe for disaster), would it be an exaggeration to say that the international game is dead?

I mean it's on life support already, so yeah I'd say France not being able to host and the only other 3 nations capable of holding it playing hot potato, to not have to, is pretty depressing and a sad indictment. 

[JM2010]

Not sure if the International game would be dead if the WC didn’t go ahead. Maybe we just aren’t big enough as a sport to have a WC. 
The WC doesn’t allow all the best teams to play each other and there’s a big gap between the top teams and everyone else.

Might be better if the IRL run tiered competitions bi annually like a 4/6N with a similar competition underneath for the next level. Could then be regional competitions underneath that.

That would still leave room for tours and test series in the years in between. 

If something like this was planned in then as a fan of International RL I’d be pretty happy 

[Gerrumonside ref]

Is it realistic to hold a USA World Cup too?

Who is paying for it?

Is it over ambitious at this stage now following this?

 

[Derwent]

I know this will upset some on here but the stark reality is, like it or not, there are only 2 countries who are realistically capable of hosting commercially viable RLWCs as sole hosts.

 

[Mr Frisky]

1 minute ago, Derwent said:

I know this will upset some on here but the stark reality is, like it or not, there are only 2 countries who are realistically capable of hosting commercially viable RLWCs as sole hosts.

 

Yep- England and New Zealand

[lucky 7]

5 minutes ago, Derwent said:

I know this will upset some on here but the stark reality is, like it or not, there are only 2 countries who are realistically capable of hosting commercially viable RLWCs as sole hosts.

 

And Australia isn't much interested in holding international Rugby League games nowadays.

[Gomersall]

16 minutes ago, lucky 7 said:

And Australia isn't much interested in holding international Rugby League games nowadays.

Haven’t been interested for years.

[johnh1]

Let's have an 8 team tournament in the UK instead. 8 good teams and some great matches with very few blow out scores.

[meast]

7 hours ago, goldcoaster said:

From Courier Mail

 

Can't Leigh/Derek pay for it  

[Tex Evans Thigh]

The sport at international level (and many other levels) is a shambles. Whether this is unfortunate and can be blamed on the French government or not it doesnt detract from how tin pot we are. Disappointment after disappointment.

[Madrileño]

46 minutes ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

 it doesnt detract from how tin pot we are. Disappointment after disappointment.

This.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/next-rugby-league-world-cup-on-the-brink-of-collapse-says-sky-sports-presenter-74552/

[headtackle]

Putting the whole tournament in France was perhaps asking a bit too much

would see if could bring it back here with certain games remaining in France being played in Perpignan and Toulouse.  If we wanted to be brave perhaps a big game at the Nou Camp over the border 

 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

A bit saddening to admit it but I can't say I'm too surprised. In all honesty I think the World Cup is finished, at least at the level we've been holding it for the last few tournaments. It might survive in a format closer to when it had 4 or 5 teams in it as opposed to the amount we have these days. Maybe a 6 Nations type competition with England, Aus, NZ, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji or something.

It would be a shame to cast PNG aside with the passion they have for the sport but not sure they could compete. And it would be a shame to abandon France at this level due to their history but there is absolutely no way they could stand up to the other teams mentioned. 

[fcl]

too ambitious a project. we do not have the human and financial means to manage 3 competitions. the federal team is at best utopian at worst sellers of dreams as we say in France (promise things that we can not do)

[welshmagpie]

What do you think will happen? Just a men’s competition? Or the whole things will be killed off?

Just now, fcl said:

too ambitious a project. we do not have the human and financial means to manage 3 competitions. the federal team is at best utopian at worst sellers of dreams as we say in France (promise things that we can not do)

 

[JM2010]

2 hours ago, johnh1 said:

Let's have an 8 team tournament in the UK instead. 8 good teams and some great matches with very few blow out scores.

What about this as a plan

Year 1

8 team tournament - Aus, NZ, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, PNG, England, Lebanon/France

Americas - USA, Canada , Jamiaca

MEA - Nigeria, Cameroon, SA, Lebanon (if not in 8N)

Euros- France (if not in Euros), Wales, Scotland , Ireland etc

Pacific? - Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands

Year 2

Test series 

Play off tournament. Winner to qualify for next years 8N - winners of Americas, winners of MEA, top 2 Euros, winners of Pacific, last place from previous year’s 8N. 
 

Year 3 - same as year 1, maybe new 8th team in 8N

Year 4 - same as year 2

 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

How about a 16 team Challenge Cup knock out style World Cup (short and sweet)

[welshmagpie]

9 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

How about a 16 team Challenge Cup knock out style World Cup (short and sweet)

Bit hard to organise if teams are travelling half way around the world for anywhere between 1 and 4 games.

Unless you’ve another way of formatting it in mind?

[fcl]

16 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

What do you think will happen? Just a men’s competition? Or the whole things will be killed off?

 

recently a city (Bergerac) announced that it will host the World Cup. Is this proof of dynamism or just a desperate attempt to unblock the situation? I do not have the answer. Avignon, which has been one of the biggest crowds in recent years (match France - NZ), refused to pay the entry ticket which was €200,000.

[Gomersall]

34 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

A bit saddening to admit it but I can't say I'm too surprised. In all honesty I think the World Cup is finished, at least at the level we've been holding it for the last few tournaments. It might survive in a format closer to when it had 4 or 5 teams in it as opposed to the amount we have these days. Maybe a 6 Nations type competition with England, Aus, NZ, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji or something.

It would be a shame to cast PNG aside with the passion they have for the sport but not sure they could compete. And it would be a shame to abandon France at this level due to their history but there is absolutely no way they could stand up to the other teams mentioned. 

If that’s the future for the WC then that’s it for me. My enjoyment was watching the teams you rarely see who have had to qualify to be there. Not the same old, same old on an infinite loop.

[welshmagpie]

3 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

If that’s the future for the WC then that’s it for me. My enjoyment was watching the teams you rarely see who have had to qualify to be there. Not the same old, same old on an infinite loop.

I think that’s the joy of most world cups. That and the semi-final & final games when you get down to best teams.

Jamaica’s try. Seeing Greece. Gallant Wales. Lebanon’s vocal fans. That’s what I enjoyed most at RLWC2021

[Veridical]

11 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

If that’s the future for the WC then that’s it for me. My enjoyment was watching the teams you rarely see who have had to qualify to be there. Not the same old, same old on an infinite loop.

Is there enough international RL any longer for ANY fixture to constitute “the same old, same old”? 

[Gerrumonside ref]

I think the truth is that men’s international rugby league is thriving in the southern hemisphere and less so in the northern hemisphere.

The country in the northern hemisphere that has the most potential after England is France and this will be a blow for all involved there.

Holding the tournament in France maybe could have been the catalyst for something positive if executed properly and capitalised on.

An opportunity missed.

[Gomersall]

3 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think the truth is that men’s international rugby league is thriving in the southern hemisphere and less so in the northern hemisphere.

The country in the northern hemisphere that has the most potential after England is France and this will be a blow for all involved there.

Holding the tournament in France maybe could have been the catalyst for something positive if executed properly and capitalised on.

An opportunity missed.

Another opportunity missed.