England, Australia, USA to host men's and women's Rugby World Cups for next decade

The United States will stage a Rugby World Cup for the first time after being voted as the host of the men's tournament in 2031 and the women's tournament two years later.

World Rugby announced the host nations for all the World Cups from 2025-33 after a meeting of its council in Dublin on Thursday, with Australia also staging back-to-back tournaments in 2027 (men) and 2029 (women).

The sport is breaking new ground by taking the men's tournament - World Rugby's most lucrative asset - to North America, with the governing body regarding it as an area of untapped potential in both a commercial and sporting sense. The women's World Cup was played in Canada in 2006.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up in green and gold after World Rugby's announcement, which sees the men's tournament returning to Australia for the first time since 2003.

It is being viewed as a chance to rejuvenate rugby in the country as the World Cups come after the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025, bringing much-needed revenue to its governing body - Rugby Australia - that was badly hit by the pandemic.

The 2027 tournament will be the 40th anniversary of Australia and New Zealand hosting the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.

England was announced as the host of the women's World Cup in 2025, with Twickenham staging the final.