WESTERN Force are set to face a Hawaii-based team in next year’s $1 million World Series Rugby competition.

It is understood the side will be bankrolled by a consortium led by Hawaiian businessman and politician Richard Fale and players will be recruited from the Pacific Islands.

Fale was a prospective buyer for the New Zealand Warriors earlier this year. He missed out on the NRL club but has a goal of taking professional rugby to the US’s 50th State.

He also expressed interest in Super Rugby but it is understood he is now committed to a franchise in the new competition after discussions with WSR management.

Fale, a Republican member of the Hawaiian House of Representatives, was born in Utah but grew up in Tonga, and believes Hawaii, with a population of 1.4 million, has a big enough market to support a professional rugby side.

He he told Stuff.co.nz earlier this year that while he was keen to set up a professional side, there were challenges in dealing with Super Rugby.

“You can’t ask guys to put in $50 million to launch the team and then they can yank the licence from you like they did to the Western Force,” he said.

Then that would be $50 million down the drain. So those are some challenges where we have to gain clarity.

“The Melbourne Rebels are a privately owned team and even they were in danger of being yanked.”

Fale said travel and time differences would not be an issue in the competition that is expected to include eight teams from countries including Japan, Fiji, Hong Kong and Singapore, with expansion in 2020 and beyond.

The tournament, bankrolled by Perth mining magnate Andrew Forrest, is the next stage on from the seven invitational games played by the Force at nib Stadium this year.

Fale’s experience of NFL glitz and glamour would be an ideal fit with the style of match-day experience Forrest wants to bring to rugby.

International governing body World Rugby’s executive committee has recommended approval of WSR to its full council for rubber-stamping, subject to regulatory and governance criteria, when it meets next month.

WR has identified American as a growth market and the US has been on the SANZAAR Super Rugby radar. The professional Major League Rugby kicked off this year with seven teams and will expand to nine, including a side from Canada, next season.

WSR representatives are in Monaco at a major international sporting marketing and media convention where WR and Rugby Australia are also participants.