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The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) has officially launched a bid to host the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2035, thereby aiming to bring the prestigious tournament back to Asia. Anchored by the core message of “No Side Spirit,” the campaign is strategically timed to coincide with the JRFU’s 100th anniversary celebration.
By leveraging the immense success and commercial momentum of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, which generated a spectacular 99.3% attendance rate with 1.84 million tickets sold, the JRFU is positioning itself as a proven, highly lucrative destination capable of uniting fans, players, and communities worldwide.
To meet World Rugby’s updated and stricter tournament guidelines, Japan’s bid committee is strategically organizing a shortlist of eight to ten high-capacity stadiums capable of accommodating at least 25,000 spectators.
The primary motivation behind this 2035 push is to replicate and build upon the success of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which was hosted across Japan. The 2019 tournament was a milestone, making Japan the very first Asian nation to stage the showcase event and propelling the host team to the quarterfinals for the first time.
The massive wave of local and international enthusiasm generated during that tournament helped transform rugby’s landscape in the country, sparking unprecedented growth in Japan’s domestic rugby attendances over the following years.
A monumental pillar of that 2019 success was its historic ticket sales, which set an exceptional standard for global sports ticketing. The 2019 tournament achieved a spectacular 99.3% attendance rate across its venues, translating to 1.84 million tickets sold to passionate fans worldwide. The JRFU intends to leverage this proven commercial track record and passionate fan base to convince World Rugby that Japan remains the ultimate destination to deliver a highly lucrative and deeply impactful tournament when the final host selection is decided in late 2027.
The global landscape of rugby is transitioning through a monumental timeline leading up to Japan’s proposed target year. Following the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, World Rugby has mapped out an expansion strategy that will see the next tournament, the Rugby World Cup 2027, hosted across Australia with an expanded roster of 24 teams. The sport will then venture into entirely new territory for the Rugby World Cup 2031, which is slated to be held in the USA. By entering the official host nation selection process for 2035, the JRFU aims to bring the tournament back to Asia right after this succession of events in Oceania and North America.
Japan faces strong global competition for the Rugby World Cup 2035, most notably from an ambitious multi-nation South American bid centered in Argentina alongside Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. From Europe, Spain has launched an official campaign leveraging its massive soccer stadiums, while Italy remains a highly anticipated contender expressing strong intent to host. These diverse bids give World Rugby multiple geographic options ahead of the final host selection in late 2027.
