England will host the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the International Rugby Board has announced. Japan will stage the tournament in 2019.
The 26-man IRB council, meeting in Dublin today, voted to ratify a recommendation from the World Cup board that confirmed England as 2015 hosts.
The Rugby Football Union beat competition from South Africa and Italy after submitting a commercial package worth an estimated £300million to the global game.
The 2015 World Cup will run from September 4 to October 17, when the final will be played at Twickenham.
Matches will be staged in 10 cities and 12 stadia across the country including Wembley, Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium, Anfield and the Millennium Stadium, which is the only venue being used outside England.
The last time England hosted the tournament was in 1991, when Will Carling’s team were beaten in the final by Australia.
Since then, rugby union has turned professional and the World Cup has developed into the globe’s third biggest sporting event.
Hosting the 2015 Rugby World Cup is estimated by Deloittes to be worth £2.1billion to the British economy.
The tournament forms a central plank of Britain’s so-called “decade of sport”, which also includes the 2012 Olympics, the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and potentially the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
2015 Rugby World Cup venues:
TWICKENHAM (London) The home of English rugby hosted the 1991 RWC final. Capacity: 82,000. Matches: Final; both semi-finals; one quarter-final; pool games.
WEMBLEY (London) England’s biggest stadium to host two Saracens matches this season. Capacity: 90,000. Matches: One quarter-final; pool games.
EMIRATES STADIUM (London) Arsenal’s new ground has never staged a rugby match before. Capacity: 60,432. Matches: Bronze medal match; pool games.
MILLENNIUM STADIUM (Cardiff) The only stadium being used outside England. Capacity: 73,350. Matches: Two quarter-finals; pool games.
OLD TRAFFORD (Manchester) Manchester United’s ground staged Argentina v England this summer. Capacity: 76,100. Matches: Pool games.
ST JAMES’ PARK (Newcastle) Newcastle’s stadium takes the tournament to the north-east. Capacity: 52,387. Matches: Pool games.
ANFIELD (Liverpool) Liverpool’s ground staged warm-up games before the 1999 World Cup. Capacity: 45,000. Matches: Pool games.
ELLAND ROAD (Leeds) Leeds United’s ground is more used to staging Test rugby league. Capacity: 40,204. Matches: Pool games.
ST MARY’S STADIUM (Southampton) Southampton’s ground has staged international football before and will represent the south coast in the bid. Capacity: 32,689. Matches: Pool games.
RICOH ARENA (Coventry) Has hosted the EDF Energy Cup final and Heineken Cup fixtures. Capacity: 32,500. Matches: Pool games.
WELFORD ROAD (Leicester) The home of Leicester Tigers is currently being developed into England’s biggest club rugby ground. Capacity: 30,000 (projected). Matches: Pool games.
KINGSHOLM (Gloucester) One of the most atmospheric grounds could be expanded by 2015. Capacity: 18,000 (projected) Matches: Pool games.
