World Rugby officials are seeking urgent talks with organizers of the 2019 Rugby World Cup following Friday's surprise announcement that Japan's proposed new National Stadium won't be ready in time for the tournament.

The 80,000-seat stadium in Tokyo, which will also be the centerpiece of the 2020 Olympics, was scheduled to host the biggest matches in 2019, including the opening game and the final of the first Rugby World Cup awarded to Asia.

However, those plans were all thrown out the window Friday, when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that the original design of the stadium was being scrapped because of escalating costs.