DUBLIN, Ireland - The women's rugby World Cup is headed to England.

The International Rugby Board has announced that London will host the 2010 World Cup, four years after Edmonton staged the women's event.

The IRB, the world governing body for rugby, considered bids from England and Germany, but IRB official Bernard Lapasset said in a statement that in awarding it to England, "the tournament would be best positioned to elevate the women's game to new heights."

The World Cup qualifying process will be announced by the end of the year, with qualifying expected to kick off in 2009.

The New Zealand Black Ferns won the 2006 women's World Cup, defeating England in the final of the 12-country tournament. The Canadians lost to France in the bronze-medal game.

The qualifying process for the women's Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai, meanwhile, is underway, with 11 of the 16 women's teams having already booked their spots in that tournament. The qualifying process will ultimately involve 83 national women's teams.