Exclusive: Qatar have ‘real interest’ in hosting a Rugby League World Cup

Yesterday International Rugby League unveiled their major plans for the next seven years as they announced details surrounding the Rugby League World Cup, the return of The Ashes as well as plans of an international calendar all the way until 2030.

The news came off the back of the IRL meeting in Singapore on Saturday with a statement on the IRL website officially confirming what had been planned, before hosting a press conference with the media.

In that conference Serious About Rugby League asked whether the Qatar bid for the Rugby League World Cup was legitimate or not, following reports of the Middle East nation having a strong interest in putting together a formal bid.

The reported came in the immediate days after France pulled out of their role of hosting the next tournament, with many questioning the legitimacy of it, but IRL Chair Troy Grant confirmed to SARL that there was real interest from Qatar and that remains the case.

“The Qatar bid is a real one but it’s just the timing of it so they’re still interested, just not for the not for this next one,” explained Grant.

“There’s been some significant discussions. So, they just withdrew for this World Cup but didn’t withdraw from other World Cups, so they’re still very interested, they just needed more time.

It was then noted by Danny Kazandjian, who is the IRL Secretary General, that the use of the term ‘bid’ was a stretch, but he also reaffirmed the interest from the Middle East to host a tournament.

“I would add to that Gary that I think it would be unfair to call it a bid. We’ve had, as the Chair said, legitimate conversations and dialogue with multiple countries, one of whom is Qatar, and that continues.

“But it’s more than one Middle Eastern country that’s interested in holding Rugby League international competitions in the future.”

This news is likely to split opinion in rugby league circles, with the sport in need of more global exposure but some people will be unsurprisingly put off at the prospect of staging the event so far away and in a country as hot as Qatar.

But it seems they will be taking very seriously if a bid is put forward, with the country keen on hosting more major international sporting events after the success of the 2022 FIFA World Cup last December.