The BBC report that Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will be one of 21 host stadiums when the Rugby League World Cup comes to England in 2021.
Since opening in 2006, the only sporting events hosted by the Emirates have been football-related so this will be a first. It has also hosted a few gigs.
The 2021 World Cup is due to take place during the Premier League season with Newcastle’s St James’ Park hosting the opening ceremony on 23 October and Old Trafford showcasing the men’s and women’s finals on 27 November.
There was talk of our arena taking part in the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup but Arsene Wenger scotched that when he raised concerns about our beautiful playing surface taking a pounding.
With an opportunity to make a bit of extra cash, it’s possible that we’ve put those concerns to one side. Also, it’s possible that by 2021 there may be more of a winter break in place as the European football calendar prepares for the upheaval of a winter FIFA World Cup in Qatar the following year.
Sp*rs were also asked about taking part but Daniel Levy couldn’t give any assurances about their new stadium being finished in time.
Update: Arsenal have confirmed that we will host one semi-final in late November.
Speaking about our involvement, managing director Vinai Venkatesham said: “Everyone here at Arsenal is really proud to be a host stadium at the Rugby League World Cup 2021.
“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.”
Who would want to play in a giant toilet though?
Kudos to the architect, it’s where shit belongs.
So now all our players are going to turn their ankles on dodgy surfaces in home matches as well as away?
I miss Arsene…
me too.. 🙁 anyone knows what he is up to nowadays?
Fish counter at Morrisons I last heard
Pundit for BEIN sports last I heard.
Downvoted for your sensible answer
Upvoted for you downvoting me.
Water slide safety inspector at Disney World last I heard.
And the worse is yet to come…
*First time since Stoke have been relegated
Hahaha loved the nice dig at the end there ?
How much money will they actually get? And is it worth disrupting our home performances if the pitch is in shit condition? I can’t see it being more than a few million, which isn’t much considering the money that floats around football these days.
I’m happy with that as long as the pitch doesn’t look like Hackney Marshes in between fixtures. Who knows, maybe the extra lines might help with the positioning of our back four.
Yeah, the 22 metre line may help Mustafi and his positioning if he’s still here, which I sincerely hope he isn’t!
and Xhaka will finally get points for his conversions
I lift my hat to you.
Goodbye pristine pitch…
Me after reading the last line:
But the Rugby World Cup is in…… Oh hahahahahahahahaha
Those guys are going to pulverize our pitch and run it rag, and by the time they are through, a paddy farm would look like a garden of roses.
I’m not too concerned about the pitch. Rugby League generally involves less stuff that’ll cut the grass up than Rubgy Union – they don’t have those big contested rucks on the ground that Union has, rolling mauls don’t really happen, and scrums (a big thing that damages turf) are sort of uncontested in League – so I don’t think the surface will get damaged too badly.
I know there money to be made from hosting additional event so but I’d worry about the state of the pitch
First time? We’ve played Stoke here loads..
What is life gonna be like at The Emirates in October 2021 anyway? I predict that Stan Kronke has sold Arsenal to Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, who brings back Arsene Wenger and David Dein. Bellerin is club captain, Guendouzi vice captain, and Nketiah is current top scorer with 27 goals in 14 games. Smith-Rowe has assisted 18 of those goals. Diaby is still at the club as due to an administrative error, he signed an 18 year contract back in 2006, and is due back from injury any day now. Manchester City have been demoted to League One due to… Read more »
I had you until Exeter city, my hometown club with that tit at the helm? No thanks. Plymouth argyle however..
10 thumbs up for this!!
I actually don’t understand why we don’t host more gigs every summer post-season and pre laying of new pitch
Why bother when the circus rolls back into town in mid August.
I wonder if this is why our head groundsman is leaving?
Having a pristine and widely admired playing surface all these years, only now to welcome the egg chasers to mash it up must be slightly annoying.
No, it has nothing to do with that. He announced his departure last year. It’s just that his leaving date has coincided with this announcement.
RIP pitch
First we slip out of the CL, then we can’t afford new players and now rugby! How did it come to this???
Oh the shame of it! THE SHAME!!!
Talk about taking the piss. Watch the pitch become shitter than the baseball ground. And all to make more cash for Stan.