Jordan's hosting of the tournament comes after the Sultanate of Oman apologized for being unable to host. The Jordan Rugby Union took on the responsibility of organizing the event in record time, keen to ensure the competitions are held on schedule, support the progress of the game at the Asian level, and enhance the Kingdom's presence on the map of hosting sports tournaments.
President of the Jordan Rugby Union, Faisal Al-Saadoun, emphasized that hosting the tournament represents an important milestone in the sport's local journey. He noted that since 2022, the Union has worked on preparing the national teams through a specialized program that included intensive external participation, with the aim of raising the readiness of male and female players in light of infrastructure-related challenges.
Al-Saadoun added that the Union hopes to capitalize on hosting the tournament on the Kingdom's soil and among its fans to achieve advanced results and surpass the previous best achievement for Jordanian teams, which was reaching the quarter-finals, stressing the importance of fan attendance in supporting the national teams and making this continental event a success.
For his part, Secretary-General of the Jordan Rugby Union, Aziz Abu Khalaf, explained that the choice of Aqaba was due to its distinctive geographical location, suitable atmosphere, sports facilities, and tourism and hotel services, allowing participating delegations to combine sports competitions with enjoying the tourist attractions the city abounds with.
Abu Khalaf pointed out that the Union looks forward to presenting the tournament as a sports and family festival par excellence, attracting fans and families and encouraging them to learn about rugby. He noted that this hosting represents a first step towards attracting more tournaments and sports events from the Gulf, Asia, and Europe, and expanding areas of cooperation with sports federations and tourism entities, which enhances the relationship between sports and tourism and opens horizons for hosting other tournaments in the future.
Holding the tournament in Aqaba constitutes an opportunity to promote Jordan as a sports and tourism destination, and to benefit from the diversity of its natural and historical elements, from Petra and Wadi Rum to the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, encouraging delegations and visitors to extend their stay and discover Jordanian tourist destinations. The tournament also contributes to stimulating tourism and economic activity, and strengthening Aqaba's position as a destination for hosting sports events that combine sports competition, family entertainment, and Jordanian hospitality.
The tournament is held with the support and partnership of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Ayla Oasis, the Jordan Tourism Board, the Jordan Olympic Committee, and Asia Rugby, as part of integrated efforts to support the hosting of this sporting event, enhance the presence of rugby in Jordan, highlight the tourist attractions of Aqaba and the Kingdom, and provide a distinctive sports and tourism experience for participating teams, fans, and visitors.
