Saudi Arabia not ruling out a bid for 2035 Rugby World Cup
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia, hosts of the 2034 football World Cup, could make a bid for the 2035 Rugby World Cup despite barely playing the game. Sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal was not ruling it out when he met reporters on the sidelines of Sunday’s floodlit Formula One grand prix in Jeddah. “We’re interested in rugby, we’re interested in developing the sport locally, so we created a federation to see what we can do to develop the sport,” he said. “I don’t think we’re on the level of hosting yet but ‘35 is in 10 years so maybe it grows in that direction and we see a big interest in that, then why not?” The Times newspaper reported last month that Saudi Arabia could join with Qatar, who hosted the 2022 football World Cup, and the United Arab Emirates in a joint bid for 2035 or 2039. It quoted Asia Rugby President Qais Al-Dhalai, an Emirati, as saying it could happen. “A multi-host could be a successful story and a new model for rugby. UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.