The Federation of International Touch (FIT) has confirmed England as the host nation for the 10th Touch World Cup in 2024.

It's the first time the World Cup has been held in England and in the UK since 2011, when it was hosted in Edinburgh, Scotland. The last TWC in 2019 was hosted in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

In a release shared on Wednesday night, FIT Director Peter Topp said: "We encourage international events that deliver the best possible event experience for athletes and fans and leave solid legacies for local communities.

"England Touch's vision and World Cup plan fit into long-term regional and national strategies for the social and economic development of our game in the UK and complement the goals for Touch outlined in our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.

"The Board considered the expressions of interest received and agreed that England Touch's approach ticked many boxes and identified a significant legacy component within its bid, which supports FIT's desire to grow the game globally. It, therefore, made sense to take this geographic approach to showcase the game.”

Touch New Zealand Chief Executive Joe Sprangers is mindful of the ongoing challenges that will continue into 2024 with plenty of mahi ahead of the TNZ campaign. 

"We are pleased for England and welcome the decision. It allows us to plan accordingly and work toward getting our athletes ready to compete at that level – much of this work is a continuation of previous campaigns. 

"Like every major event there is plenty to consider and plan for – including the financial reality of international, user pays campaigns. Nonetheless, certainty has been a rarity so it will be a relief for our community to receive this news.”

Read the full statement from FIT here

Article added: Thursday 13 October 2022