France could be bidding au revoir to the World Cup with external pressures set to cost the tournament up to $12 million in funding.
After a fairly successful 2021 World Cup in England, France has been shaping up as the next arrival for the RLWC before being played in Australia in 2029.
However, according to The Daily Telegraph,ย it appears pressures from fellow European countries looks set to force the French government to pull $12 million worth of funding out of the tournament.
The 2025 Rugby League World Cup had already changed locations, originally scheduled to be split between the United States and Canada, however financial concerns for the tournament saw the bid scrapped in favour of France.
Nine of the 16 nations for the men's component have already received entry to the six-week tournament, with the eight semi-finalists in Australia, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji, Lebanon, England and Papua New Guinea all gaining automatic selection, along with the host nation in France.
The French haven't hosted an official RLWC match since 2013, where Avignon and Perpignan hosted French matches during the pool stages.
The French government is yet to confirm the cut in funding for the 2025 instalment, however tournament organisers will be praying the event goes smoothly after the 2021 edition was delayed a year due to COVID.
