Do not check static methods for variance safety rules

src/coreclr/src/vm/methodtablebuilder.cpp

@@ -3026,8 +3026,9 @@ MethodTableBuilder::EnumerateClassMethods()
             }
 
             // Check the appearance of covariant and contravariant in the method signature
-            // Note that variance is only supported for interfaces
-            if (bmtGenerics->pVarianceInfo != NULL)
+            // Note that variance is only supported for interfaces, and these rules are not
+            // checked for static methods as they cannot be called variantly.
+            if ((bmtGenerics->pVarianceInfo != NULL) && !IsMdStatic(dwMemberAttrs))
             {
                 SigPointer sp(pMemberSignature, cMemberSignature);
                 ULONG callConv;

src/tests/Loader/classloader/generics/Variance/Interfaces/NoVarianceCheckForStaticMethods.il

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
+// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
+
+// Metadata version: v4.0.30319
+.assembly extern System.Runtime
+{
+  .publickeytoken = (B0 3F 5F 7F 11 D5 0A 3A )                         // .?_....:
+  .ver 4:2:2:0
+}
+.assembly extern System.Console
+{
+  .publickeytoken = (B0 3F 5F 7F 11 D5 0A 3A )                         // .?_....:
+  .ver 4:1:2:0
+}
+.assembly ConsoleApp5
+{
+  .custom instance void [System.Runtime]System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CompilationRelaxationsAttribute::.ctor(int32) = ( 01 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 ) 
+  .custom instance void [System.Runtime]System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeCompatibilityAttribute::.ctor() = ( 01 00 01 00 54 02 16 57 72 61 70 4E 6F 6E 45 78   // ....T..WrapNonEx
+                                                                                                                   63 65 70 74 69 6F 6E 54 68 72 6F 77 73 01 )       // ceptionThrows.
+
+  // --- The following custom attribute is added automatically, do not uncomment -------
+  //  .custom instance void [System.Runtime]System.Diagnostics.DebuggableAttribute::.ctor(valuetype [System.Runtime]System.Diagnostics.DebuggableAttribute/DebuggingModes) = ( 01 00 07 01 00 00 00 00 ) 
+
+  .hash algorithm 0x00008004
+  .ver 1:0:0:0
+}
+.module ConsoleApp5.dll
+// MVID: {580B623A-FB1A-403C-8F9C-8DB0E42D429C}
+.imagebase 0x00400000
+.file alignment 0x00000200
+.stackreserve 0x00100000
+.subsystem 0x0003       // WINDOWS_CUI
+.corflags 0x00000001    //  ILONLY
+// Image base: 0x047E0000
+
+
+// =============== CLASS MEMBERS DECLARATION ===================
+
+.class private auto ansi beforefieldinit Program
+       extends [System.Runtime]System.Object
+{
+  .method private hidebysig static int32  Main() cil managed
+  {
+    .entrypoint
+    // Code size       34 (0x22)
+    .maxstack  8
+    IL_0000:  nop
+    IL_0001:  ldstr      "a"
+    IL_0006:  call       !0 class I2`2<string,string>::M1(!0)
+    IL_000b:  call       void [System.Console]System.Console::WriteLine(string)
+    IL_0010:  nop
+    IL_0011:  ldstr      "b"
+    IL_0016:  call       !1 class I2`2<string,string>::M2(!1)
+    IL_001b:  call       void [System.Console]System.Console::WriteLine(string)
+    IL_0020:  ldc.i4     100
+    IL_0021:  ret
+  } // end of method Program::Main
+
+  .method public hidebysig specialname rtspecialname 
+          instance void  .ctor() cil managed
+  {
+    // Code size       8 (0x8)
+    .maxstack  8
+    IL_0000:  ldarg.0
+    IL_0001:  call       instance void [System.Runtime]System.Object::.ctor()
+    IL_0006:  nop
+    IL_0007:  ret
+  } // end of method Program::.ctor
+
+} // end of class Program
+
+.class interface private abstract auto ansi I2`2<+ T1,- T2>
+{
+  .method public hidebysig static !T1  M1(!T1 x) cil managed
+  {
+    // Code size       2 (0x2)
+    .maxstack  8
+    IL_0000:  ldarg.0
+    IL_0001:  ret
+  } // end of method I2`2::M1
+
+  .method public hidebysig static !T2  M2(!T2 x) cil managed
+  {
+    // Code size       2 (0x2)
+    .maxstack  8
+    IL_0000:  ldarg.0
+    IL_0001:  ret
+  } // end of method I2`2::M2
+
+} // end of class I2`2
+
+
+// =============================================================
+
+// *********** DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE ***********************

src/tests/Loader/classloader/generics/Variance/Interfaces/NoVarianceCheckForStaticMethods.ilproj

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.IL">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
+    <CLRTestKind>BuildAndRun</CLRTestKind>
+    <CLRTestPriority>0</CLRTestPriority>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Compile Include="NoVarianceCheckForStaticMethods.il" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+</Project>