- Major unions and World Rugby had been in talks over the bid.
- Teams from all Six Nations, as well as other countries, were invited to participate.
- The plan will not go ahead for now even though it was supposed to be approved.
Rugby is set to buck the current sporting trend and reject the riches on offer in the Middle East, with a bid to host the Nations Championship final in Qatar now “off the table”.
Major unions and World Rugby, the world governing body, have been holding secret talks since receiving an offer from the Gulf state worth a guaranteed £800m over the first four instalments of the new biennial event.
Six Nations teams, their Rugby Championship rivals Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, plus two other countries, likely Fiji and Japan, have been invited to take part in a six-match “Super Bowl”-style weekend in Doha in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032.
However, Sports mail understands that the plan will not go ahead, at least for the moment, despite the widespread belief that it was already a fait accompli, given the potential windfall through sponsorship and broadcast deals.
This follows a two-month exclusive negotiation phase with Qatar, which was due to host the 2022 soccer World Cup, amid anger over a murky bidding process and outrage over the deaths of migrant workers brought in to build the venues.
Rugby chiefs shun Middle East riches and rule out £800m tournament bid
Qatar’s bid to host the finals of the Nations Championship has been rejected
The unions are understood to have been acutely aware of the potential damage to their reputations if this deal had been struck. Not only would they have faced fierce criticism from human rights groups, but they also feared the serious threat of supposedly bigger matches being played in near-empty stadiums, due to the expected absence of spectators travelling from far away.
On the other hand, many unions face a bleak financial outlook, so officials faced a dilemma over the need to consider their collective debts, as well as moral and logistical factors.
However, they had no doubt about the possibility of a fierce backlash and accusations of hypocrisy, given rugby’s long-standing habit of trumpeting its so-called “core values”.
Other interested parties, including sovereign wealth funds, are understood to have been in contact with the club since the Qatari bid was revealed last month. Rival suitors were unable to present their arguments during the exclusivity period, but it appears the rugby authorities have now decided to look at alternative options.
Compelling new offers may have allowed major unions and World Rugby to go against the grain of sport by selling major events to the highest bidders in the Middle East.
Six Nations teams, their Rugby Championship rivals and two other countries were invited
The unions were well aware of the potential reputational damage if the deal had gone through.
Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup despite the unrest (pictured: Lusail Stadium in Doha)
Saudi Arabia has become a regular venue for world boxing title fights and has had some success in attracting eminent footballers with lucrative contracts. Qatar is set to host the World Swimming Championships next year and the Basketball World Cup in 2027. In addition, Qatar Airways has significantly enhanced its rugby portfolio by being announced as title sponsor of the Lions Series in Australia next summer.
But for now, the final of the Nations Championship is not destined for Doha.
Sources had indicated that in the event of a collective decision to reject the Qatari approach, rugby’s powers-that-be could consider moving the main conclusion of their new international event to the United States, as a means of boosting interest in the sport ahead of 2031. There is also awareness of the growth potential in emerging European countries such as Spain and Portugal.
The Nations Championship was formally announced by World Rugby late last year, with the aim of creating a league “narrative” around test matches outside of World Cup years and Lions tours.
The plan also includes the development of a second and third category of competition, with a view to creating – at least in theory – a system of promotion and relegation in due course.