France and Ireland interested in hosting 2021 world cup games

[RL The greatest game]

Probably Wales will come on board later as well
England's Rugby League World Cup attracts venue interest from overseas | Sport | The Guardian

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

France is the one im most interested in. It wil be good for the games development there

(also, ill probably be in the area. id love to catch a game, but England will probably be too much of a trek)

 

[Vee]

Dunno if it's realistic, but I'd like to see France and Ireland play their group games at home a-la PNG.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

It was done last time, why wouldn't it be realistic?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

France hosting all of their pool games would be good and I loved the opener in Cardiff in 2013. Ireland hosted one game in 2013 but there wasn't a lot of interest, I don't know if this would have changed much.

Pool games at Millenium Stadium, Toulouse, Perpignan and Avignon would be good. What does everyone think about semis and finals? The Wembley double header followed by a heartland final in an iconic stadium worked well last time. Maybe as a change-up we could go double header opener at Old Trafford, Semi-final double header in Cardiff and the final at Wembley.

 

[DlEHARD]

Let France do a 'PNG' and host their pool games.

 

[Pommy]

I don’t see any problem with France playing every pool game at home.
I’m not sure Ireland have enough interest for it to be a sensible idea for them. They should play at least a game in Ireland though.

 

[adamkungl]

Only 14 venues will be chosen and there are over 40 submissions apparently!
They have also stated that 80% of games (so 24 out of 30-31 games) will be in 'the northern heartlands'.

If this is disappointingly true there's limited opportunities for other places. And if you give those games to England's south and the home nations there's no room for France.
2 London
1 Coventry
1 Bristol
1 Wales
1 Ireland
with the rest at 9 current Super League and Championship venues?

 

[Pommy]

Only 14 venues will be chosen and there are over 40 submissions apparently!
They have also stated that 80% of games (so 24 out of 30-31 games) will be in 'the northern heartlands'.

If this is disappointingly true there's limited opportunities for other places. And if you give those games to England's south and the home nations there's no room for France.
2 London
1 Coventry
1 Bristol
1 Wales
1 Ireland
with the rest at 9 current Super League and Championship venues?

I guess it depends how lose they are going to be with heartlands, Salford is pretty much Manchester so that brings in two great potential stadiums. I’m almost certain Newcastle will get a game after the success of magic. Liverpool could be considered close enough to the heartlands.

 

[Perth Red]

I’d consider a France game in Barcelona.

 

[Springs09]

So is the 2021 bid plan out the window then? 15 stadiums were already shortlisted, which would go down to 12, now 14 I assume.

Wasn't part of the bid agreement that the tournament would be held entirely in England as to receive government funding?

 

[Rory]

Would love to see a couple games in Ulster. Preferably Kingspan stadium as it hods 18,000. Ether that or Thomond park in Limerick again, only got 5,000 to the game against Aus in 2013 though.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I’d consider a France game in Barcelona.

I was about to say, if we take anything to France, it would be worth having a look at taking a game further south.

I know South France is RLs area, so im wondering if anything spread further into north spain. Particularly if Spain can sneek in and qualify...

 

[deal.with.it]

I went to Thommond Park in '13.
Wouldn't have known WC was on.
Poor mgmt

 

[Rory]

I went to Thommond Park in '13.
Wouldn't have known WC was on.
Poor mgmt

This is true. In Ireland theres 13 clubs all over the country, Ulster 5 clubs, Leinster 3 clubs, Munster 5 clubs. If Limerick didn't work, i suggest we head to the north.

 

[Perth Red]

I was about to say, if we take anything to France, it would be worth having a look at taking a game further south.

I know South France is RLs area, so im wondering if anything spread further into north spain. Particularly if Spain can sneek in and qualify...

Barcelona sees itself as Catalan territory so would get behind a French team with Catalans players in it hopefully.

Dragons played there in 2009and got 18,500turn up!

Perpignan, Toulouse and Barcelona would be good French game cities. I’d even consider a game in Paris if Barcelona was a no go, especially 9f it turned out england v France in a pool game. That would be good in Paris.

 

[Perth Red]

Is it too early for a rlwc2021 section? Lol

 

[Stallion]

Is it too early for a rlwc2021 section? Lol

No. Its positive discourse. Good work on this facet of rugby league PR!

 

[Pommy]

Barcelona sees itself as Catalan territory so would get behind a French team with Catalans players in it hopefully.

Dragons played there in 2009and got 18,500turn up!

Perpignan, Toulouse and Barcelona would be good French game cities. I’d even consider a game in Paris if Barcelona was a no go, especially 9f it turned out england v France in a pool game. That would be good in Paris.

If they were going to be a host then they would put them in a different group I would imagine.
Oz, NZ and PNG were all seperate, it doesn’t make sense to have England playing outside of England in a home World Cup.

 

[Stallion]

If they were going to be a host then they would put them in a different group I would imagine.
Oz, NZ and PNG were all seperate, it doesn’t make sense to have England playing outside of England in a home World Cup.

Maybe they are looking at reinvigorating a past rivalry with some certainty as to having England play France in a world cup game? That would be attractive and would strengthen the code's relationship through increased recognition via the match up rivalry between these nations.