World Cup in Australia would cause mid season shutdown
The AFL (Australian Football League) and NRL (National Rugby League) will have to take an eight week mid season break if Australia win the rights to hosting the 2018 World Cup.
The rivals would have to agree a four week closure whilst the tournament is underway and another four weeks prior to that due to FIFA regulations on lead in periods for World Cup venues.

Ben Buckley, Football Federation Australia chief executive, said: “We’ve met with all the sporting codes and they’re all in broad agreement about the importance of the FIFA World Cup for Australia and the legacy it would deliver in terms of sporting infrastructure.”
Australian soccer will have to get the rival sports on side quickly as disharmony normally spells bad news for World Cup bids.
The FFA has just over a week to present its final costings to the federal government, while it must lodge stadium and infrastructure plans for the World Cup bid by May next year.
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Wow, that is asking a lot from two rival football codes. The logistics of an 8 week mid season break are quite mind boggling!