South Africa’s financial constraints will make it impossible for the country to host another Rugby World Cup, SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer has said at a recent press briefing.
Rugby365 reported that Oberholzer told the media briefing, which was attended by Rassie Erasmus and the entire Springbok coaching panel, that World Rugby’s need to maximise revenue means the tournament will be taken to wealthier markets.
“It is a challenge for us,” Oberholzer said. “The World Cup is the only revenue stream for World Rugby. It must fund the game’s entire ecosystem.”
South Africa and New Zealand are the most successful teams in Rugby World Cup history. South Africa has won the Webb Ellis Cup four times (1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023), whilst New Zealand has won it three times. The two nations are the only back-to-back winners of the tournament.
Australia (1991 and 1999) and England (2003) are the only other countries to have won the tournament.
New Zealand hosted the inaugural tournament in 1987 and again in 2011. South Africa hosted in 1995, their debut year in the competition.
However, despite their on-field dominance, both nations now find themselves unable to compete financially with cash-flush countries bidding to host future tournaments.
World Cup hosting rights are locked in for Australia (2027) and the United States (2031), with World Rugby actively pursuing a strategy of taking the tournament to new markets for financial growth.
Oberholzer was clear that World Rugby will take the tournament where it can make the biggest profit.
“They must go where there will be support from local and national government,” he said. “I can never see that the same money can be generated in South Africa, as it can in Europe, or maybe somewhere in the Middle East.
“It is a World Rugby decision and not an SA decision. World Rugby will drive World Cups to where they believe they can make the most money, and we all have to understand that.”
The SARU boss said teams cannot expect to host the tournament whilst generating less revenue, and then demand a larger share of World Rugby’s annual grants.
“I think we have moved away from the philosophy that everybody must get an equal chance to host a World Cup,” Oberholzer said. “New Zealand and South Africa will not make the money out of a World Cup that World Rugby needs.
“I don’t think it’s a negative on us. It is more what is more important for the best interest of rugby.”
World Rugby launched the selection process for the host nation of the 2035 World Cup in September last year. The final appointment is expected by November 2027.
