Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium Chosen As Host Stadium For 2021 Rugby League World Cup

By The Editor
on 29th January 2019

Arsenal starting to embrace hosting non-football events at the Emirates Stadium…

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Arsenal have announced the Emirates Stadium will host its first non-football sports event after being named as one of the host stadiums for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

We have been reluctant in the past to accept invitations of such events with Arsene Wenger relying on a pristine football pitch for us to play on.

Also, the Emirates Stadium has been reluctant in hosting non-Arsenal matches at the Emirates Stadium, with on the Brazil national team using the ground for a friendly on a few occasions.

Having said that, the club lost a bid to host the UEFA Europa League final in 2011, with UEFA’s decision to host the Champions League final at Wembley ruling out our proposal.

The Rugby League World Cup takes place in the middle of the 2021/22 season and so we’ll only host one game according to the club’s statement – a semi-final clash in November.

“Everyone here at Arsenal is really proud to be a host stadium at the Rugby League World Cup 2021,” managing director Vinai Venkatesham said.

“A semi-final match at Emirates Stadium in London between two of the world’s strongest Rugby League nations promises to be a huge sporting event.

“We are very much looking forward to hosting Rugby League at Emirates Stadium for the first time since we moved here in 2006. We have world class pitch and stadium facilities and are all excited with the opportunity of staging a match of such magnitude.”