World Rugby chair Brett Robinson has acknowledged the United States remains a "challenging market" while insisting the global body is actively building toward the 2031 men's World Cup on American soil.

Speaking to AFP in Hong Kong on the sidelines of the Sevens, Robinson pushed back against a narrative of a sport in crisis, pointing to global participation figures — including two million women players — as evidence that rugby is "truly international" and "in really rude health".

But he was candid about the work required in the US, where Major League Rugby has contracted to six teams after four clubs withdrew, and serious questions have been raised about the commercial viability of delivering a World Cup at that scale. Reports in British newspapers have specifically questioned the US's readiness on the commercial front.

"We aren't sitting still in terms of preparing and acknowledging that it's a challenging market," Robinson said, adding that World Rugby is working with leading unions to bring marquee fixtures to American venues in the lead-up to 2031 to build fan connections. A Springboks-All Blacks clash in Baltimore is scheduled for September as part of that programme, following Ireland's Test against New Zealand in Chicago last year.

On host cities, Robinson confirmed that the current pool of 27 candidates will be narrowed to 12 to 14, with the final selection announced after the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Robinson was notably bullish about Australia 2027, revealing that initial ticket sales have exceeded expectations with more than 750,000 already sold for the expanded 24-team tournament. "We're really optimistic and excited," he said, though he noted that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has introduced some uncertainty into the broader outlook.

The backdrop to Robinson's comments includes pointed criticism from within the game. All Blacks legend Michael Jones last week warned that union is losing the battle for "hearts and minds" to league in New Zealand, while Moana Pasifika's impending folding — the second Super Rugby franchise to collapse in three years — has sharpened financial sustainability concerns. In Wales, rugby's standing in the national conversation has been further eroded by the football team's recent rise.

Robinson's response to those pressures was framed around both protection and expansion. "We have to protect our core markets, but we can't sit still and believe that the game will thrive if we don't consider and continue to look at how we grow the game," he said.

The women's 2033 World Cup in the US is also part of the long-term American strategy, with Robinson highlighting the strength of women's rugby in North America as a genuine asset heading into that cycle.