Japan Rugby Union: Yokohama wants to host for Rugby World Cup 2019 matches

Rugby World Cup Chairman Bernard Lapasset said that the international stadium at Yokohama is a world-famous venue and iconic for millions of Rugby fans who remember when it staged the FIFA World Cup final between Germany and Brazil in 2002. The 72,000-seat stadium was not on the original shortlist of venues bidding to host matches but Rugby World Cup officials approved to accept a late application from Yokohama and the Kanagawa Prefecture, of which it is the capital. A total of 15 cities and states are now under consideration with a decision about the successful cities expected in 2019 for Rugby World Cup.

 While we note that the deadline is passed for applications to host matches at Rugby World Cup, we have decided to accept this bid because we want to ensure that the tournament is available to as many Rugby World Cup sports fans as possible around the country.

The Japan Rugby World Cup 2019 chief executive Akira Shimazu said in a statement that Yokohama's bid will now be considered on its individual merits along with all the others. We are enchanted that Yokohama and Kanagawa Prefecture have submitted this application as it further demonstrates how the local governments in every part of Japan are keen to host matches at Rugby World Cup 2019 and welcome the rugby world to their cities.

The full list of bidders is:

Sapporo City, Iwate Prefecture and Kamaishi City, Sendai City, Saitama Prefecture and Kumagaya City, Tokyo, Shizuoka Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture and Toyota City, Osaka Prefecture and Higashi Osaka City, Kyoto City, Kobe City, Fukuoka City, Oita Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Yokohama and Kanagawa Prefecture.