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IRB reduces fees to host 2015, 2019 World Cups

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-27 10:02

DUBLIN, Ireland  _ Staging the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups became potentially cheaper when the International Rugby Board reduced its hosting fees on Tuesday because of the global economic crisis.

The announcement followed requests from the nine countries bidding for either tournament.

The IRB cut the minimum fee for 2015 from 100 million pounds ($154 million, 120 million euros) to 80 million pounds ($123 million, 96 million euros), and for 2019 from 120 million pounds to 96 million pounds.

"We are still looking to achieve a tournament fee of 100 million pounds from 2015 and 120 million pounds from 2019," IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said in a statement.

"The revised minimum requirements are just that, minimums. There is nothing to prevent one union bidding the minimum guarantee of 80 million pounds for RWC 2015 and another bidding 100 million pounds."

Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales are bidding for the 2015 Cup, while Australia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and Wales are vying to host the 2019 tournament.

The nations have until May to submit detailed proposals, and the hosts of both tournaments will be selected by the IRB on July 28.

New Zealand is holding the next World Cup in 2011.