International Gay Rugby

What International Gay Rugby does

International Gay Rugby (IGR) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered in England and Wales (Charity Number 1154241), founded in October 2000 to develop and support LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby globally. The organisation operates as an umbrella body for 100+ member clubs across at least 23 countries spanning North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and South America. Its core offering is a portfolio of biennial and annual tournaments — anchored by the Bingham Cup (the world's largest LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby union tournament), the Union Cup (pan-European), and the NorAm Cup (North American) — supplemented by the Amanda Mark Cup (women's global championship), the Alice Hoagland Cup, the IGR UK League, regional events (Purchas Cup, Beaver Bowl, Touch My Brum), and a club directory. Non-tournament offerings include the "Third Half" podcast (presented by Gilbert Rugby Canada), membership services across five tiers (Associate, Full, Worldwide, Affiliate, Society), and educational resources for coaches and officials.

IGR's business model is a charitable membership-and-events model rather than a commercial one. Revenue derives from member club fees (subject to a 75% board vote to introduce or change) and event-related revenue from hosting or sanctioning tournaments. There is no public pricing; the organisation is governed by an Executive Committee of Trustees, with a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and regional trustees, and operationalised through a global network of 20+ volunteer regional representatives. IGR holds a 2015 Memorandum of Understanding with World Rugby — the sport's governing body — committing both organisations to eliminating homophobia in rugby, which provides institutional legitimacy. There are no patents, proprietary technology products, or AI/ML capabilities; technology usage is limited to off-the-shelf tools (Rugby Xplorer for tournament management, Microsoft Forms for membership intake, World Rugby Online Training for officiating certification). The organisation reinvests all activity into member club support, tournament operations, and inclusion advocacy rather than generating profit.

Name

International Gay Rugby

Legal name

International Gay Rugby (Association & Board)

Website

https://igrugby.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International Gay Rugby is a UK-registered charity that organises LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby globally, serving 100+ member clubs across five continents through flagship biennial tournaments (Bingham Cup, Union Cup, NorAm Cup), women's championships, a domestic UK League, and a volunteer-led regional support network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Membership and Tournament Organization

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

Keywords

• Inclusive rugby clubs
• LGBTQ+ rugby community
• Rugby tournament organization
• International rugby membership
• Club development support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: IGR derives revenue from membership fees paid by member clubs. The constitution notes that membership fees may be required with a 75% vote threshold for any fee introduction.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from hosting major tournaments including the Bingham Cup, Union Cup, NorAm Cup, and Amanda Mark Cup. These events attract teams from member clubs globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

International Gay Rugby is a charitable membership organization that supports LGBTQ+ and allied rugby clubs through membership categories, governance assistance, club development resources, domestic leagues, and international tournaments. Its network spans more than 100 member clubs across five continents, with the Bingham Cup serving as its principal global competition.

Product overview

International Gay Rugby (IGR) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation offering a portfolio of products and services centered on inclusive rugby tournaments, competitions, and membership. The core product is the Bingham Cup, the world's largest LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby tournament, supported by regional championships (Union Cup for Europe, NorAm Cup for North America), dedicated women's competitions (Amanda Mark Cup), and legacy tributes (Alice Hoagland Cup). Additional offerings include The Third Half Podcast, the IGR UK League domestic competition, educational resources (coaching, officiating, concussion education), and membership services for inclusive rugby clubs globally. The organization connects over 100 member clubs across multiple continents through competitive tournaments, resources, and community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IGR Membership Services Club membership programs for Associate, Full, Worldwide Team, Affiliate, and Society categories, providing voting rights and governance participation according to category.
• IGR Bingham Cup The world's largest LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby union tournament, held every two years and hosted by different member clubs globally.
• IGR Union Cup A biennial pan-European inclusive rugby tournament managed by IGR since 2017, promoting diversity and inclusivity among European member clubs.
• IGR NorAm Cup A biennial North American Championship tournament for LGBTQ+ and inclusive rugby, inaugurated in 2023 and hosted by different clubs in Canada, the United States, or Mexico.
• IGR Alice Hoagland Cup A prestigious competition held as part of the Bingham Cup and named in memory of Alice Hoagland, Mark Bingham's mother and an IGR supporter.
• IGR Amanda Mark Cup A women's global championship run in tandem with the Bingham Cup and named after Amanda Mark, Mark Bingham's best friend and long-time IGR supporter.
• IGR UK League A domestic league competition for IGR member clubs in the United Kingdom, featuring teams competing across multiple divisions.

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• World RugbycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015World Rugby and International Gay Rugby signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2015 at World Rugby House in Dublin. Under the agreement, both organisations committed to promoting equality and inclusivity and educating against and eliminating homophobia in rugby. The MOU includes commitments to consult on LGBT issues in the sport, develop positive relationships, work with regional associations to improve tolerance and acceptance, provide educational tools to member unions, and support the promotion and development of IGR events.
• Gilbert Rugby CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGilbert Rugby Canada is the presenting sponsor of 'The Third Half' podcast, IGR's official podcast. Gilbert Rugby Canada is described as a dedicated champion of inclusion and diversity in the sport.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Gilbert Rugby: Gilbert Rugby is a major rugby equipment brand and the presenting sponsor of IGR's 'The Third Half' podcast via Gilbert Rugby Canada. It is comparable as a commercial rugby ecosystem participant that supplies equipment and sponsorship to inclusive rugby clubs and tournaments, sitting in an enabling/supplier relationship rather than competing with IGR.
• Outsports: Outsports is a US-based media outlet covering LGBTQ+ participation in sport. It is comparable as an adjacent media and storytelling platform serving the same community and athlete base that IGR serves through its clubs, podcast, and video gallery.

Regional players

• RFU (Rugby Football Union): The Rugby Football Union is the national governing body for rugby union in England, where IGR is headquartered and many of its oldest member clubs operate. It is comparable as a rugby union governing body, though it is a national institution focused on the entire English game rather than inclusive or community-based sub-segments.
• USA Rugby: USA Rugby is the national governing body for rugby union in the United States, where IGR has a number of charter member clubs. It is comparable as a national rugby federation interfacing with IGR member clubs in North America via membership and regional representation.

Broad incumbents

• World Rugby: World Rugby is the global governing body of rugby union and IGR's 2015 MOU partner. It is comparable as an incumbent rugby federation that sanctions and oversees competition, while IGR operates as a specialised sub-network for inclusive clubs within that broader ecosystem.

Emerging players

• You Can Play: You Can Play is an LGBTQ+ sports inclusion advocacy group focused on safety and participation for LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, and fans. It is comparable to IGR in mission but operates as a campaign/advocacy organisation rather than running member clubs and rugby tournaments.
• Athlete Ally: Athlete Ally is a US-based LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit working across sport to promote inclusion. It is comparable to IGR as an organisation pushing for equality and inclusion in mainstream sport, though IGR is a member-club–led operator while Athlete Ally is primarily an advocacy and education body.

Direct peers

• International Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (IGLSF): IGLSF (also known as the Equality in Sports Federation) is an international federation coordinating LGBTQ+ sports clubs and tournaments. It is comparable to IGR as a direct peer governing inclusive sports clubs across multiple sports, although IGR is single-sport (rugby) and operates its own flagship events.
• Federation of Gay Games: Federation of Gay Games is the international governing body behind the Gay Games, a multisport LGBTQ+ event held every four years. It is comparable to IGR as a peer LGBTQ+ inclusive-sports organisation providing membership, governance, and large-scale international event programming for LGBTQ+ athletes.
• World OutGames: World OutGames is a global multisport and cultural event organisation for LGBTQ+ athletes, similar in mission to IGR's Bingham Cup and regional cups. It is comparable as a peer LGBTQ+ sports event operator that organises international competition and community-building events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IGRugby
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYCB3J6Cnn1c8nbI5UQqeyw/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/IGRugby
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/igrugby
• Instagraminstagram.com/igrclubhouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Gay Rugby