England have fought off rival bids from South Africa and Italy to win the right to stage the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
It will be the second time England have hosted the competition, the last time being in 1991.
The International Rugby Board also announced that Japan will be hosts for the event in 2019.
The IRB voted 16-10 in favour of rubber-stamping the recommendation from Rugby World Cup Ltd that England and Japan should be named hosts.
England's bid projected a surplus at least 150 million dollars more than its rivals and that financial strength is important to the IRB, which uses proceeds from World Cups to fund its development programmes.
Rugby Football Union chairman Martyn Thomas called the decision a relief, and also great joy for England......
The 2011 World Cup is in New Zealand.
