Plans to stage the Rugby League World Cup in the U.S. for the first time in '25 "have been aborted" and organizers "have put the event out to tender again due to the would-be promoter’s financial troubles," according to Adrian Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The Rugby League Int'l Federation "conditionally awarded the RLWC to North America two years ago, signifying the first time it was be taken out of traditional heartland areas." However, the event "now needs a new home" because the promoter, Moore Sports Int'l, is "no longer in a position to bankroll the event." It means the int'l event is "again up for grabs and raises the prospect of it returning to Australia" if an alternative option cannot be found. RLIF CEO Nigel Wood said, "At the last board meeting last month, we made a decision to re-tender the 2025 World Cup. That doesn’t indicate in stone we’re not in the United States, but we weren’t in a position to go forward under the existing proposition that had been made. ... It could go anywhere, we’re not ruling anything in or out at this stage." It marks "the latest blow to plans to take the game into the potentially lucrative American market." The NRL had been deep in negotiations to take the opening match of the '19 season to the U.S. but could not "quite make the numbers stack up." Head office is still hopeful the "round zero" project could go ahead the following season (SMH, 12/4).
