South Africa and Kenya are among the five bidders to host the 2030 men's Rugby League World Cup.
The two African nations were confirmed among a list of five tender offers to host the tournament, which Australia will host next in 2026.
South Africa and Kenya have been joined by New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the United States of America to declare interest in hosting the tournament.
South Africa had previously bid for the tournament in 2017 but were unsuccessful, while the USA were first awarded the 2025 tournament (now to be held in 2026) before bailing on hosting rights.
The American nation could leave the IRL with jitters over their potential to do the same, but authorities are pushing the case to host nonetheless.
โOne of our primary strategic objectives is to enhance the visibility and awareness of Rugby League throughout the United States,โ USARL chair Matt Goschnick said.
โBidding for and hosting major sporting events are pivotal as they not only spark interest but also attract critical investment and new partners to the game, all which are needed for sustainable growth.โ
Of the five nations, both New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have played a role in co-hosting alongside Australia previously, but NZRL CEO Greg Peters said rugby league's recent growth in the nation would benefit the tournament.
โRugby League is experiencing significant growth in New Zealand, with passionate fans and increasing participation levels across the country testament to that," Peters said.
โBringing a major Rugby League event in the 2030 Men's Rugby League World Cup, the pinnacle of our sport, to New Zealand presents New Zealand Rugby League with an opportunity to not only capitalise on that growth but help to further embed Rugby League into the fabric of our communities, inspiring those to come.โ
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea say they are ready for hosting rights after hosting multiple tournaments in recent years.
โPNGFRL has now hosted a number of international events over the last five-to-six years, and we have the experience and the personel to host this event, โ PNGRFL Chief Executive OfficerโฏStanley Hondina said.
โPapua New Guinea is a country that is rich in culture, history and has beautiful scenery. We would love to showcase our beautiful country to the rest of the world.โ
The two African bids make this the most geographically wide group of bids ever experienced by the IRL for a World Cup.
South African rugby league president Doctor Frans Erasmus said the nation's history in hosting major international tournaments should be recognised in their bid.
โWe boast a rich history of staging extraordinary international events, and our aim is to add the prestigious IRL Men's World Cup to that illustrious list," Dr Erasmus said.
"Rugby League, often referred to here as a sleeping giant, is poised for a transformative moment, with our bid not only capitalising on the growth of the sport in South Africa but also across the continent.
โWith the unwavering support of our passionate fans, our world-class facilities and the backing of our dedicated stakeholders, we are confident that South Africa will deliver a truly exceptional IRL World Cup experience, setting a new standard for excellence."
Maybe the biggest surprise among the tender offers came in Kenya's bid, where the sport is growing, but still a long way short of even other Tier 2 nations.
The African nation have never played at a World Cup, with the team only playing their first international in 2014, now with seven matches in total under their belt.
Despite that, Henry Sisye - the chair of Kenya's bid committee - said that hosting the tournament in the nation would "change the perception" of the sport on a global stage.
โAt times we have to believe in the dream even when others find it a gargantuan task. Kenya 2030 would change the perception of the world about rugby league,โ Sisye said.
After the 2026 tournament to be hosted in Australia, the tournaments will be split, with the women's, wheelchair and men's tournaments to be hosted in separate years between 2028 and 2030.
Each bid will be assessed in February, followed by a joint announcement of the hosts for all three of the tournaments between 2028 and 2030 early next year.
