The 2031 World Cup could be played in June or July in order to avoid a clash with the NFL after the tournament hosting rights were awarded to the United States for the first time.

At its annual meeting in Dublin, the World Rugby council unanimously approved the staging of Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027 and the USA in 2031.

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According to the Telegraph, it is hoped that the potential change of dates from September to earlier in the year will enable rugby chiefs to stage World Cup fixtures at National Football League stadiums.

More than 20 NFL stadiums, as well as Major League Soccer venues, were included as part of the proposal to host the 2031 World Cup. Average summer temperatures in the states of California and Florida range between 27 and 33 degrees.

“We would consider moving [the] Rugby World Cup,”  World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said.

“If you think of the 2003 World Cup in Australia, it was slightly later than the window we have got now and the certainty we have got from today is to spend the time thinking about the benefits and challenges involved in that and it would involve some really grown-up discussions with leagues around the world and the impact that could have.”

Gilpin added that World Rugby are keen to avoid doing to what Fifa has done with this year’s football World Cup, which will controversially be staged in November and December in Qatar.

“We are not going to do a Qatar and plonk it in the middle of other competitions. There are those conversations to be had,” he added.

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