Rochdale to host match in 2013 Rugby League World Cup

The Mayor of Rochdale celebrates the announcement with Louise Spencer, Chief Executive of Rochdale Hornets. (Left to right: Chair of Link4Life Brian Ashworth, Mayoress Gillian Brown, Council Leader Colin Lambert, John Patterson, Executive Director, Rochdale Borough Council.

Rochdale is celebrating today, Monday 28 November after the RFL confirmed that Spotland Stadium will host a match during the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

After submitting a strong bid, the town beat off stiff competition from rival applications across the country to stage a match in the 14-nation tournament in two years’ time.

Hornets Rugby League, Rochdale Borough Council and Link4Life teamed up with AGMA (The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) to submit the successful bid. The competition is expected to bring significant benefit to current clubs, players and supporters of the game, as well as the town.

2013 Rugby League World Cup Tournament Director Nigel Wood said: “I would like to congratulate Rochdale who have been successful in their bid to host a match in what I am confident will be a World Cup that enhances the UK’s golden decade of sport. We experienced massive interest in hosting matches from all across Europe and the bidding process proved to be hugely competitive.”

“In putting together its bid over the last 12 months, Rochdale has demonstrated a level of commitment that gives us confidence that the 2013 Rugby League World Cup will exceed everyone’s expectations. It has been a fantastic and inspiring bidding process and we have been extremely impressed with the quality, detail and diverse nature of the host bids received.”

Today’s announcement outlines 18 different venues which will stage matches and reveals six other venues which will host teams during the tournament. Details of host fixtures and venues for the opening ceremony, the semi-finals and the final will be confirmed early in the New Year.

A total of 34 bids, comprising 30 stadia, 47 team training sites and 87 team base camps, were submitted to the RFL. Each of the bidding hosts underwent a detailed inspection from the 2013 team to examine the various sites venue specifications, as well as evaluating the enthusiasm and commitment of each bidding host.

Upwards of half a million people are expected to watch the 28 matches live over a six-week period in the autumn of 2013 with a further 20 million viewers from 120 countries tuning in around the world.

Rochdale’s 2013 Rugby League World Cup announcement comes just days after the town was named ‘World Capital of Co-operatives’ by the International Co-operative Alliance and it was revealed that the borough will welcome the Olympic Torch Relay in 2012.