International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament

What International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament does

International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) is a not-for-profit international rugby tournament organization founded in 2015 in Bradford, United Kingdom, and operated through parent body International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS). IMART positions itself as the World Cup for Mixed Ability Rugby, a format in which players with and without physical and learning disabilities compete together in the same 15-a-side game played under World Rugby Laws. The flagship IMART tournament is held every three to seven years across rotating host cities — Bradford (2015), Vitoria-Gasteiz (2017), Cork (2022), and Pamplona (2025) — drawing 1,191 players from 32 teams across 25 countries at the most recent edition, alongside over 70 matches and more than 40 hours of live-streamed coverage.

The product portfolio has expanded beyond rugby. In 2025 IMAS launched MAGIC (Mixed Ability Games, Inclusion and Coproduction), a week-long multi-sport festival that adds inclusive tournaments in basketball, football, rowing, floor curling, golf, handball, and goalball, complemented by an international conference ("Identities and Representation for an Inclusive Sporting Culture"), a coach education workshop with Penguin RFC, and a fringe educational programme. The organization also operates a trilingual (English, Spanish, Italian) website and active channels on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

IMART runs on a grant- and sponsorship-funded nonprofit model rather than commercial revenue. Events are free and fully accessible to participants. Operating support comes from a small core team of 1-10 staff and is sourced from corporate sponsorships (Flutter Entertainment as three-year global strategic partner; Smurfit Westrock as Platinum Sponsor), European Commission Erasmus+ Sport co-funding, UNESCO Patronage, and host-country institutional partners including Gobierno de Navarra, Ayuntamiento de Pamplona, Universidad Pública de Navarra, and the Instituto Navarro del Deporte. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its not-for-profit status.

Name

International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament

Legal name

International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament

Website

https://imartworldcup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IMART organizes international Mixed Ability Rugby tournaments, where players with and without disabilities compete together under World Rugby Laws. The IMAS-run nonprofit also produces the MAGIC multi-sport festival, serving grassroots clubs and disabled athletes globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Events / Inclusive Rugby Tournaments

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG), Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL)

Keywords

• Mixed ability rugby
• Inclusive rugby tournament
• Disability rugby
• International rugby event
• Grassroots rugby

Headquarters

HQ city

West Burton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament organizes international multi-day rugby tournament events that bring together teams composed of disabled and non-disabled players competing under World Rugby's mixed ability rules. The offering is a free, not-for-profit tournament series delivered through host-city partnerships, sponsored by corporate partners, and supported by Erasmus+ Sport and UNESCO affiliations. Ancillary programming includes ambassador and grassroots mixed ability rugby development initiatives delivered through the parent organization International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS).

Product overview

International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) is the World Cup for Mixed Ability Rugby, organized by International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS). The organization offers a portfolio of products centered around the IMART rugby tournament as the flagship event, complemented by the MAGIC (Mixed Ability Games, Inclusion and Coproduction) week-long programme featuring multiple sports disciplines (basketball, football, rowing, floor curling, golf, handball, goalball), educational conferences, coach education workshops, and live streaming coverage. The ecosystem includes both the core tournament product and ancillary offerings like the Fringe Programme and international conferences that support the Mixed Ability sport movement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of matches ending with a score difference of less than 2 tries

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flutter EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Flutter Entertainment is the global strategic partner and headline sponsor for IMART 2025. As part of a three-year partnership to support the growth of Mixed Ability sport worldwide, Flutter provides skilled volunteers, on-the-ground support, speakers, communications expertise and financial support. The company is helping to raise awareness of Mixed Ability sport around the world.
• Smurfit WestrockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Smurfit Westrock is the Platinum Sponsor for IMART 2025. Their team in Pamplona will be packing welcome boxes for every participant, volunteering across the event, and designing accessible and sustainable materials for participants, and leading the transformation of the UPNA venue into an inclusive space. They also sponsor refereeing kit and support the EveryOne initiative for fostering equity and inclusion.
• European Commission (Erasmus+ Sport)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The European Commission, through their Erasmus+ Sport programme, co-funds the MAGIC and IMART events. This funding supports the week-long celebration of Mixed Ability sport including international competitions, educational conferences, and the expansion of inclusive sports provision.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022UNESCO granted patronage to the MAGIC 2025 event and previously to MAW 2022. The international conference 'The Future of Mixed Ability: For Sport and Beyond' received UNESCO patronage in 2022.
• Penguin RFC (Penguin International Rugby Football Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenguin Rugby and its Charitable Trust return to IMART 2025 to deliver a bespoke coaching workshop led by England Rugby Level 5 coach Steve Hill. They have also agreed to sponsor the refereeing kit for IMART 2025.
• International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMAS is the organizing body for IMART. The organization promotes and coordinates Mixed Ability sport globally, working with clubs, federations, and international bodies.
• World Floor CurlingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Floor Curling is the official governing body for floor curling, supporting the first-ever Mixed Ability Floor Curling Tournament at IMART 2025 as part of the MAGIC programme.
• BaskoniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaskonia supports the Mixed Ability basketball tournament at MAGIC 2025 with their extensive experience in Mixed Ability basketball.
• CA OsasunaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCA Osasuna supports the MA football tournament at MAGIC 2025 and hosts the international conference 'Identities and Representation for an Inclusive Sporting Culture' at El Sadar stadium.
• Rock Solid Productions Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRock Solid Productions Inc. organizes the MA floor curl tournament together with IMAS and World Curling, providing expertise in inclusive curling events.
• Orio Arraunketa Elkartea (Orio Olympic Rowing Club)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Orio Olympic Rowing Club leads the 2nd International Mixed Ability Rowing Regatta in Spain, organizing 1500-meter races and 500-meter sprints with support from the Orio City Council and Gipuzkoa Rowing Federation.
• Gobierno de NavarraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment of Navarra provides institutional support for IMART 2025 and MAGIC 2025 events.
• Ayuntamiento de PamplonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPamplona City Council provides support for the IMART 2025 and MAGIC 2025 events.
• Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Public University of Navarra hosts the rugby matches at their Sport Campus and provides facilities for various MAGIC 2025 activities.
• Instituto Navarro del Deporte y de la Actividad FísicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Navarre Institute of Sport and Physical Activity hosts the international conference and provides institutional support.
• Fundación Miguel IndurainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Miguel Indurain Foundation supports IMART 2025 as part of their commitment to sport and inclusion.
• La Caixa FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Caixa Foundation provides support for the IMART 2025 event.
• Iruña Rugby ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe local rugby club in Pamplona co-organizes IMART 2025 and hosts matches at their facilities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Paralympic Committee (IPC): The umbrella governing body for Paralympic sport, operating multi-sport Games and world championships across disability categories. Comparable as the large-scale international disability-sport event organizer against which IMART positions its UNESCO-patroned Mixed Ability competition.
• World Rugby: The global governing body for rugby union and the source of the playing laws that IMART explicitly abides by. Comparable as the broader institutional authority in the rugby ecosystem, though it runs the top-tier professional and national-team competitions rather than grassroots Mixed Ability play.

Direct peers

• Special Olympics International: Organizes international multi-sport competitions for athletes with intellectual disabilities, with national programs and a global Games cadence. Directly comparable to IMART's Mixed Ability model — inclusive competition, educational programs, and global scale.
• Invictus Games Foundation: Runs international multi-sport adaptive games for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, combining competition with rehabilitation impact. Comparable as a high-profile, purpose-driven, sponsor-supported adaptive sports event brand.
• International Wheelchair Rugby Federation: Governs and runs international wheelchair rugby events for athletes with disabilities. Most directly comparable to IMART as a global adaptive rugby competition organizer, though wheelchair-specific rather than Mixed Ability 15-a-side.
• International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS): The parent organization of IMART, coordinating Mixed Ability sport globally across multiple disciplines. The closest 'peer' given it is both parent and sister organization promoting the same Mixed Ability philosophy across rugby, basketball, curling, football and rowing.

Emerging players

• World Curling Federation: International federation supporting the launch of the first Mixed Ability Floor Curling Tournament at IMART 2025. Comparable as a sport federation enabling an adaptive variant of its discipline, similar to how World Rugby Laws underpin IMART rugby.
• Wheelchair Rugby Canada / GB Wheelchair Rugby: National wheelchair rugby organizations running domestic leagues and international competitive programs. Comparable as national-level adaptive rugby event operators that feed into international disability rugby ecosystems alongside IMART.

Others

• Folksability / DREAM Adaptive Recreation: Adaptive recreation non-profits organizing inclusive community sport and competition programs. Adjacent — they share the mission of expanding access to sport for people with disabilities but operate at community rather than international event scale.

Regional players

• European Disability Sport Week / EDPO: European-level organization promoting disability sport events and inclusion policy across the region. Comparable as a regional champion of inclusive sport programming with overlapping geography (most IMART host cities are in Europe).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/imart_worldcup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@imartworldcup9139
• Facebookfacebook.com/IMARTworldcup
• Instagraminstagram.com/imart_worldcup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imart-cork-2020-clg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament