THE WORLD is at the feet of French Rugby League as the country counts down to the 2025 World Cup, boosted by the success of this year’s tournament in England.
It’s 50 years since the competition was held in France and 68 years since the very first World Cup was launched by Treiziste pioneer Paul Barrière, whose name is on the trophy.
Officials from the French Federation and International Rugby League are ready to announce government funding for the event and reveal the towns and cities that will host matches in 2025.
The idea for the tournament in France is the brainchild of IRL Chair Troy Grant, who consulted senior figures in the Australian game before pitching the idea to French Federation President Luc Lacoste, who has since been appointed Vice-Chairman of the IRL.
Grant has already stated that “the growth and development of the game in France is a strategic must” and Lacoste is believed to have secured significant government funding for the tournament following its launch in Paris in January, which was conducted by then-Prime Minister Jean Castex.
The 2025 tournament will include wheelchair, women’s and physical disability competitions and, for the first time, a youth section, providing the biggest number of individual disciplines of any Rugby League World Cup in history.
A leading French Rugby League official told League Express this was “a once-in-a-lifetime chance” for the game to build upon recent growth and re-establish the code, which has been in decline since its heyday of the 1950s, until a recent resurgence as Catalans Dragons were created in 2000 and welcomed into Super League in 2006.
A second French team joined the Dragons in the top-flight this year, although Toulouse Olympique were relegated and will return to the Championship in 2023.
Toulouse Chief Executive Cedric Garcia said “The 2025 World Cup is massive, a huge opportunity for Rugby League in France and one that we need to seize with both hands.
“It’s 50 years since we had the tournament here; it’s been held in England and Down Under but it’s not a two-nation tournament.
“This is the perfect place to bring the game together, where the competition was first born.”
Garcia is in regular communication with FFRXIII President Lacoste and he is urging all French clubs, sponsors and supporters to get behind the project.
He added: “Luc is working extremely hard on this and the clubs need to be behind him because we have to be ready for what will happen after it.
“With a major event like this, there will be a huge rise in interest from players, sponsors and fans, and, if you are not ready to handle that, they will quickly lose that initiative.
“We’ve got three years in which all stakeholders need to work incredibly hard and fully understand the opportunity this offers.
“It is perfect timing to ride the crest of a wave of international tournaments, it will be the third world event in a row in France (with the) 2023 Rugby Union World Cup, 2024 Olympic Games and then our World Cup in 2025.
“We need to be fully aware of this unique opportunity, we need to make it successful and the most crucial thing is to build a legacy on the back of it.
“All of the clubs and all parties in French Rugby League have to get on board.”
Garcia revealed that the long-term ambition of the French Federation is to establish a professional nationwide competition instead of the current part-time Elite One championship, which is limited to Rugby League heartland regions in the south and south-west.
He added: “It’s a major goal to have a full-time professional competition in France, hopefully starting after the World Cup and that can only be the future of the game.
“Without disrespecting anyone or any club, you need to have big cities playing the game, spread all over the country, not just in a couple of regions.
“It has to be our main plan and hopefully the 2025 World Cup will be the springboard.
“There hasn’t been a World Cup in France for over 50 years, so it’s a once in a lifetime chance for us.
“The competition in the UK was incredible; when you see the level of skill in games like the Australia v New Zealand semi-final it’s another level. Our sport is out of this world.
“Now it is our turn in France to show the world what this game is all about.”
