England and Japan's Rugby World Cup dreams have become a reality © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: England | Italy | Japan | South Africa

The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be staged in England after the RFU mounted a successful bid to host the sport's global showpiece.

After lengthy deliberation the International Rugby Board (IRB) granted the 2015 tournament to England and in an historic decision promised a World Cup to Asia for the first time with Japan's successful bid for the 2019 event, ratifying the recommendations of Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL). Between them, England and Japan landed 16 of the 26 votes in favour of rubber-stamping the recommendations.

The RFU's bid looks set to net the IRB in the region of £300m thanks to sponsorship, merchandising and television rights and will use traditional rugby venue Twickenham alongside football stadiums. Manchester United's Old Trafford, Liverpool's Anfield, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and the new Wembley will all see action in the tournament.

The RFU's plan to use Cardiff's Millennium Stadium is yet to be confirmed by RWCL, with a decision potentially not arriving on that front until March 2010.The RFU must make a proposal to the IRB and provide a "compelling reason" for taking matches outside of England. Japan also want to split a pool between Hong Kong and Singapore.

"The vote was for matches in the host territory only. At the moment, it was just matches in England and in Japan," said IRB chairman Mike Miller. "The host unions can come back to the Rugby World Cup board and if they want to propose matches in other territories we would look at it and see if it met certain criteria that are in the best interests of the game globally, if it enhances the showcase and if it could increase the finances. We have an open mind on it at the moment."

The 2015 World Cup will run from September 4 to October 17, when the final will be played at Twickenham.

"Great joy for England, also for Japan," said Martyn Thomas, chairman of the RFU. "Commiserations to South Africa and Italy, we've been there before. We've been trusted with making a great competition in 2015 and making a great spectacle.

"We've got to raise the bar again. There will be tremendous commitment for the community game, we've got some very iconic stadia that we'll be using and I think it'll be tremendous for world rugby and immense for participation in England."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown congratulated the RFU and played up the tournament's part in the government's proposed 'decade of sport', also set to include the 2012 Olympic games and potentially the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

"I'm sure the whole country will want to play their part in making this the most memorable of Rugby World Cups," he said. "I'd also like to say how pleased I am that the 2013 Rugby League World Cup will be held in the UK.

"It really is a great opportunity to inspire a generation of young people to play the game and together with Sport England's £30million support for grassroots rugby, the sport has some exciting years to look forward to. The Rugby World Cup is yet another tremendous event to add to the country's decade of sport and another chance to show our nation's passion for sport and what world class facilities we have to offer. I'm sure it will be a tournament to remember."

England beat competition from Italy and 2010 Fifa World Cup hosts South African to land the prize, while Japan saw off the same contenders.

The Japanese bid was widely endorsed after they were overlooked for the 2011 tournament in New Zealand, with the expansion of the game in to Asia a key consideration for IRB chiefs. Japan showed fine credentials in co-hosting the 2002 Fifa World Cup and Tokyo will later this year host a Bledisloe Cup Test between New Zealand and Australia after a successful debut in Asia with a Test in Hong Kong last November.