World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has insisted that the United States will host the 2031 men’s Rugby World Cup, dismissing concerns about the sport’s current state in the country.
The USA national team, the Eagles, are ranked 16th in the world and have never progressed beyond the pool stages of a World Cup. In their most recent major Test, they suffered a heavy 85–0 defeat to Scotland in November. Meanwhile, Major League Rugby has been reduced to six teams after four franchises withdrew, prompting questions in British media about the United States’ ability to deliver the tournament commercially.
The USA is also scheduled to host the women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033.
Speaking after the annual Shape of the Game summit, Gilpin made it clear the hosting decision is final. “It’s set in stone. It’s been set in stone since the World Rugby Council’s decision in May 2022,” he said. “That’s not to say we don’t contingency plan — we plan for all scenarios, as you would expect. But there is huge enthusiasm from host cities and state sports commissions, and strong engagement across the US.”
Ahead of the summit in London, the French Rugby Federation and the governing body of France’s Top 14 league voiced concerns about potential law changes that they fear could undermine the sport’s traditional identity. Specifically, they are worried that scrums and line-outs could be watered down in an effort to simplify the game for new audiences.
World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson responded by saying those issues were not discussed at the summit. “None of those matters were debated this week; they weren’t on the agenda,” he said. “There were no discussions about weakening the scrum.
“What we are looking at is reducing repeated scrum resets, which can be frustrating for fans. That dead time affects momentum and engagement. That’s where the focus of the conversations has been.”
