sport within the US, in the lead up to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. During this period, the USARL looked to consolidate its domestic competition while the AMNRL struggled domestically, with only New York Knights and Connecticut Wildcats maintaining regular competition under the AMNRL banner. In 2014, the USARL announced the formation of a Southern conference, with the Atlanta Rhinos and Central Florida Warriors among participating teams, while the Brooklyn Kings joined the Northeastern conference. Meanwhile, the AMNRL competition failed to materialize in 2014 and, following the end of David Niu's long association with the sport, the AMNRL ceded their RLIF membership and folded as an organization, with the USARL being accepted as the sole governing body for the sport in November 2014 and the few remaining AMNRL teams being accepted into the USARL competition. In 2016, the USA was awarded the 2025 Rugby League World Cup along with co-host, neighbors Canada. However, plans for the World Cup to be held in the US and Canada were scrapped on December 4, 2018, due to financial concerns and that the location of the 2025 Rugby League World Cup would be determined by a new bidding process in 2019. National competitions In 2022, The Commission for Rugby League in the United States (USARLC) was established and claimed that it had the agreement of the International Rugby League (IRL) to become the governing body for rugby league in the United States. The IRL issued a statement refuting the claim made bu USARLC stating that they (IRL) had had no contact with USARLC and that USARL remains the sole IRL member in the USA. AMNRL Tracing its origins to 1997, the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) was the United States' oldest rugby league competition. Eleven teams competed in the 2010 AMNRL season, with seven departing after the season to form the USA Rugby League, currently the only domestic rugby league competition in the US. Before the split and decline of the AMNRL, it had announced various plans for expansion. The Chicago Stockyarders team had announced it would be embarking on a full exhibition schedule for 2011, and had future plans to join the AMNRL. The AMNRL had also planned a four- to six-team competition for Hawaii in partnership with the Hawaii Rugby League; teams in the development were Kona, Maui, Harlequins, Spears, Islanders, and University of Hawaii. On June 10, 2011, the Utah