Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia could launch a combined bid to host the men’s Rugby World Cup in the next 10 years or more, the president of the sport’s Asian governing body has hinted.The three Gulf states are capable of hosting either the 2035 or 2039 edition of Rugby’s premier competition, Qais Al-Dhalai, Asia Rugby’s President, told The Times.“As our leaders in the Gulf believe, nothing is impossible. I foresee this [a Rugby World Cup in the Gulf] as something that might happen in 2035,” Al-Dhalai said.A successful bid would mark the first time the Rugby World Cup is hosted in the Middle East, and the second time in Asia, following Japan’s 2019 World Cup. The bid process for the 2035 edition is set to start in the next two years.Doha News reached out to the Qatar Rugby Federation for comments but did not receive any response at the time of publishing.Experience of hosting major tournamentsThe sport’s global body, World Rugby, could bank on the Gulf states’ experience of hosting major international tournaments to potentially stage “the most successful event in the history of rugby”, Al-Dhalai said.By the time the 2035 FIFA World Cup arrives, Saudi Arabia will join Qatar as a host, alongside a range of other major sports events planned for the region.The UAE has been home to the much-acclaimed annual rugby sevens event, the Dubai 7s, which stands as the longest running sports event in the Middle East since its inception in 1970.Meanwhile, Qatar will have also hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027 by then.If filed, the bid will likely meet South Africa, Italy and Spain as potential rivals to host the tournament, which will not be a significant hurdle to the Gulf bid, according to the Asia Rugby chief.“I don’t want to underestimate other bids, and I believe South Africa and other European countries might be interested as well, but if World Rugby worked hard on this with a solid plan, it might happen in 2035,” Al-Dhalai said.Taking the sport to the Middle East will also unlock new revenue streams and work in synergy to enhance its global standing, Al-Dhalai said.According to him, Asia Rugby, which represents 36 nations and carries two out of 52 votes in the World Rugby’s Council, will “definitely” back the joint Asian bid.“This is where we generate 90 to 95 per cent of revenue for the sport […] Look at golf, tennis, MMA fights coming to the Gulf, soccer teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United and City go there in January,” he said. “The big corporates and big money comes from the Gulf countries.”Gulf involvement in rugby has grown significantly in recent years, with Qatar set to host the finals of the new Nations Championship in 2028. If initial revenue targets are met, the country could also host the event in 2030 or 2032.Qatar Airways, the national carrier, has already headlined a major rugby tournament while a Guardian report in January claimed it had struck a deal to become the title sponsor of the Nations Championship. The deal will reportedly be the biggest title sponsorship in rugby’s history, worth QAR 359 million ($98.5m).Critics have pointed to the potential disruption in the rugby calendar that a World Cup in the Gulf would cause. Often hosted in September and October, the tournament could see a move to the winter months, much like the FIFA World Cup 2022, which Qatar hosted.Similarly, another criticism points at the quality of rugby, suspecting none of the three poised hosts will qualify for the quadrennial tournament on merit, despite the recent expansion to 24 teams.The UAE are currently ranked 48th, followed by Qatar at 87. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, have only ever played one World Rugby-recognised international game. According to the current rules, the hosts will be allocated automatic spots.However, the positives outweigh the negatives for Al-Dhalai.“A multi-host could be a successful story and a new model for rugby,” he said, citing football’s example. “UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia. Why not? The stadiums are ready there. It will be the most successful event in the history of rugby.” (ICE Doha)

Fonte notizia: DOHA NEWS