Australia has been named the preferred candidate to host the Rugby World Cup in 2027, though Canberra's participation in hosting the tournament still remains unclear.
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"The team at Rugby Australia have worked hard on this for a number of years and today's announcement is great reward for those efforts," Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan said following an overnight meeting of the World Rugby Council.
Council members at the meeting voted to accept a recommendation from the Rugby World Cup Limited Board to work exclusively with Australia to finalise a hosting model for the 2027 edition of the tournament.
Australia had been in a contest with the United States to stage the 2027 men's event but the council has effectively ruled out any duel by now indicating that the 2031 event is likely to go the US.
Hospitality managers last week urged the ACT government to "do all it can" to bid for games in the 2027 Rugby World Cup, but expressed concerns about the territory's capacity to compete with cashed-up interstate governments.
An ACT government spokesperson said discussions were ongoing with the Rugby Australia bid team, but the city's involvement in the tournament was yet to be determined.
Rugby Australia is now working in partnership with World Rugby to develop the tournament model, ahead of a final World Rugby Council vote in May next year.
The Rugby World Cup 2027 is projected to attract more than two million attendees across seven weeks of competition, including 200,000 international visitors, and generate $2.5 billion in direct and indirect expenditure.
It is also expected to create 13,300 jobs and stimulate $500 million in new trade and investment.
with AAP
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