Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil have formally entered the race to host the 2035 Men’s Rugby World Cup, potentially keeping the tournament in the Americas after the United States hosts in 2031.
The four South American unions announced on October 5 that they had completed the Applicant Questionnaire stage of World Rugby’s host-selection process, submitting the required technical information for their joint proposal.
The bid would be historic. No Men’s Rugby World Cup has been staged in South America, while the 2031 tournament in the United States will be the first men’s edition held in the Americas.
The United States will also host the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033.
If South America is selected for 2035, it would create a run of three Rugby World Cups in the Americas: the men’s tournament in the United States in 2031, the women’s tournament there in 2033 and the men’s tournament in South America in 2035.
The Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) is leading the proposal alongside the unions of Uruguay, Chile and Brazil, working with Sudamérica Rugby.
All four countries would host matches.
11 Stadiums Across Four Countries
The proposal includes 11 stadiums across 10 cities, with eight venues in Argentina and one each in Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
The proposed venues are:
- Buenos Aires, Argentina: Estadio Monumental and Estadio José Amalfitani
- La Plata, Argentina: Estadio Único Diego Armando Maradona
- Córdoba, Argentina: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes
- Santiago del Estero, Argentina: Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades
- Salta, Argentina: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena
- Mendoza, Argentina: Estadio Malvinas Argentinas
- Rosario, Argentina: Estadio Gigante de Arroyito
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Maracanã
- Santiago, Chile: Estadio Nacional
- Montevideo, Uruguay: Estadio Centenario
Buenos Aires accounts for two of the 11 proposed venues.
The UAR says the four countries have a combined population of approximately 283 million.
Argentina brings the strongest established rugby history to the proposal. Los Pumas have competed at every Men’s Rugby World Cup and reached the semifinals in 2007, 2015 and 2023.
Uruguay has competed at five editions, Chile made its debut in 2023 and Brazil has yet to qualify.
“Our Region Deserves an Opportunity”
UAR president Félix Páez Molina said the bid was an opportunity to demonstrate what the region could offer as a Rugby World Cup host.
“We have the opportunity to show the world our passion for this sport, our ability to host major events, and everything our countries have to offer,” Páez Molina said.
“We take on this challenge firmly believing that our region deserves an opportunity of this size.”
The comments were published by the UAR in Spanish and have been translated into English.
From USA 2031 to South America 2035?
For American rugby supporters, the timing gives the 2035 decision an added dimension.
The United States hosts the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033. South America is seeking the next men’s tournament, four years after USA 2031.
World Rugby itself connected the 2035 process to the expansion represented by its upcoming tournaments in the United States when it launched the host-selection process in September 2025.
World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson said:
“Following historic tournaments in the USA, we see 2035 as another major opportunity to unlock new audiences and additional value.”
A successful South American bid would therefore produce this sequence:
2031 — Men’s Rugby World Cup: United States
2033 — Women’s Rugby World Cup: United States
2035 — Men’s Rugby World Cup: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil
There are two ways to view that possibility.
The U.S. tournaments could create momentum for rugby across the Americas, giving World Rugby an opportunity to build on increased attention in the hemisphere rather than immediately moving elsewhere.
Alternatively, after two Rugby World Cups in the United States, World Rugby could decide there is greater value in moving the men’s tournament to another region.
World Rugby has not indicated that either consideration will determine its decision.
In announcing the host-selection process, World Rugby identified four core principles underpinning it: commercial optimisation, operational control, contractual certainty and a transparent, fully evaluated selection process.
A Four-Country Proposal
The scale of the South American proposal is one of its most distinctive features.
World Rugby explicitly permits multi-territory consortiums, meaning the four-country structure is allowed within the 2035 selection process.
It nevertheless presents a different operational model from the bids submitted by Japan and Spain. Instead of staging the tournament within one country, the South American proposal would distribute matches among four national unions and 10 cities.
World Rugby says it intends to contract with host governments and match venues before making its selection, while candidates will undergo site visits and feasibility assessments.
The South American proposal will therefore have to demonstrate that its four-country model can meet World Rugby’s operational and contractual requirements.
Japan and Spain Are Also in the Race
Japan and Spain have also formally submitted Applicant Questionnaires to World Rugby.
Spain announced its submission on October 5, describing completion of the questionnaire as the second formal stage of the host-selection process.
Japan announced its submission on October 6.
Japan hosted Rugby World Cup 2019, the first men’s tournament staged in Asia, and its rugby union says its 2035 proposal is intended to build on the legacy of that event.
Spain has never hosted the tournament.
The Spanish Rugby Federation says its proposal has the backing of the Spanish government and national sporting institutions.
World Rugby therefore faces three different propositions: a return to Japan, a first Men’s Rugby World Cup in Spain, or a first tournament in South America through the four-country proposal.
By the Numbers
What Happens Next?
The process now moves into World Rugby’s evaluation stage.
Site visits and feasibility assessments are scheduled for late 2026 and early 2027, before World Rugby identifies its preferred host in May 2027.
The final decision will be made by the World Rugby Council in November 2027.
For rugby in the United States, that decision will also answer another question:
Does the Rugby World Cup’s move into the Americas end after USA 2033 — or is that only the beginning?
