France, Ireland, Italy and South Africa have submitted official bids to host the 2023 rugby World Cup.

All four nations have handed over bid questionnaires to governing body World Rugby with details regarding venues and infrastructure, public and private sector guarantees and financial models.

Bid officials have also been asked to demonstrate political and financial stability, as well as a “vision that engages” international audiences and “contributes to the growth of rugby at all levels”.

World Rugby’s Technical Review Group will now evaluate the details provided, with successful candidates moving on to the next stage of the bidding process from 1 November 2016. The overall winner will be announced in November 2017.

France and South Africa have previously hosted the tournament, while Ireland has staged a number of World Cup matches as part of joint bids in 1991 and 1999. Italy has never hosted the tournament.

South Africa had initially been banned from bidding for the tournament by its government after the sport’s national governing body failed to meet diverse representation targets.

Bill Beaumont, World Rugby chair, said the “strong level of interest” highlighted the “hosting appeal of the Rugby World Cup as a low-investment, low-risk, high-return economic, social and sporting driver”.

Japan will host the next edition of the tournament in 2019.