Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee

What Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee does

Rugby World Cup Limited is the tournament-organizing subsidiary of World Rugby, the international governing body for rugby union. Established in 2007 and domiciled in Dublin, Ireland (registered office at World Rugby House, 8-10 Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2), the entity operates the quadrennial Rugby World Cup, the sport's flagship event, and related tournament properties. The current cycle focuses on Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 in England and Men's Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 — the first edition under an expanded 24-team format featuring 52 matches across eight venues in seven Australian host cities from 1 October to 13 November 2027. Operating with a lean core team supplemented by extensive outsourcing, the entity serves global rugby fans, national member unions, host cities, commercial partners, and broadcasters.

The company's core products are tournament-centric digital platforms: the official rugbyworldcup.com portal, the RWC 2027 ticketing platform operated in partnership with Ticketmaster Sport (offering 2.5 million tickets), the Shopify-powered official merchandise store at store.world.rugby, dedicated host-city and team sub-sites, and a video content hub. Underlying technology consists almost entirely of third-party integrations — Ticketmaster for ticketing, Shopify for commerce, Ecal for calendar synchronization, and major social platforms for fan engagement — with no disclosed proprietary technology stack, AI/ML systems, or developer-facing APIs.

Revenue is generated through five streams: ticket sales (six price categories per match, AUD$40 entry-level pricing), broadcasting rights sold to global media partners (Stan Sport, 9Gem, 9Now, RugbyPass TV, Canal+ Group for Sub-Saharan Africa), tiered sponsorship and commercial partnerships (Principal Partners Emirates and Asahi Super Dry; Official Partners Coca-Cola, LIQUI MOLY, Dove Men+Care, Ticketmaster; Official Supporter Mitsubishi Estate; Official Suppliers Meiji, Gilbert, Macron), merchandise sales, and premium hospitality/travel packages via Rugby World Cup Experiences. All revenue is reinvested into the sport across World Rugby's 134 member unions and six regional associations, consistent with the non-profit federation structure. The go-to-market is event-driven: a single quadrennial anchor product amplified by presale registration campaigns, multi-channel digital marketing (the 'Go All Out' global campaign), and broadcast distribution.

Name

Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee

Legal name

Rugby World Cup Limited

Website

https://rugbyworldcup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rugby World Cup Limited is the World Rugby-owned subsidiary that organizes the quadrennial Rugby World Cup, currently preparing Women's RWC 2025 in England and Men's RWC 2027 in Australia across 52 matches and seven host cities. It serves global fans, member unions, host cities, commercial sponsors, and broadcasters via ticketing, broadcast rights, and partnership revenue, all reinvested into the sport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Event Management

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Championship & Cup Organizers (MPAKADAB), Event & Tournament Sponsorship (Title/Presenting Sponsors, Official Suppliers) (MPAKALAB), Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)

Keywords

• International rugby tournament
• Event ticketing services
• Sports broadcasting rights
• Commercial sponsorship programs
• Event merchandise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales to fans for match attendance across 52 matches. 2.5 million tickets available for RWC 2027 with prices starting from AUD$40 for pool matches. One million tickets priced at AUD$100 or under. Six price categories per match.
2. Broadcasting Rights: Television and streaming broadcast rights sold to global media networks for tournament coverage across multiple territories.
3. Sponsorship and Commercial Partnerships: Principal partners (Emirates, Asahi Super Dry), Official Partners (Coca-Cola, LIQUI MOLY, Dove Men+Care, Ticketmaster), Official Supporters (Mitsubishi Estate), and Official Suppliers (Meiji, Gilbert, Macron) contribute commercial revenue.
4. Merchandise and Official Store: Official merchandise sales through store.world.rugby including apparel, accessories, and commemorative items.
5. Hospitality and Travel Packages: Ticket-inclusive hospitality and travel packages sold through Rugby World Cup Experiences for premium fan experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rugby World Cup Limited organizes and commercializes the quadrennial Rugby World Cup tournament for men's and women's international rugby union. The core product is a multi-week sporting event featuring up to 52 matches and 24 participating nations, monetized through ticket sales to fans (2.5 million tickets per edition), broadcast rights licensing to global media networks, multi-tiered commercial sponsorship and supplier partnerships with global brands, official merchandise sales, and premium hospitality and travel packages.

Product overview

Rugby World Cup operates as a tournament-focused digital platform offering the official website for Men's and Women's Rugby World Cup events, the primary ticketing platform for ticket sales, an official merchandise store, and dedicated portals for host cities, teams, and match information. The 2027 edition in Australia features 24 teams competing across 52 matches in 8 venues across 7 Australian cities from 1 October to 13 November 2027. The ecosystem includes partner integrations with Ticketmaster for ticketing, Shopify for merchandise, and Ecal for calendar functionality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rugby World Cup: The premier international rugby union tournament contested every four years by the world's best nations.

Products and services

• RWC 2027 Ticketing Platform
• Rugby World Cup Official Store
• Rugby World Cup Experiences (Hospitality and Travel Packages)
• RWC 2027 Official Match Ball by Gilbert

Quantifiable outcome

• 750,000+ tickets sold in initial presale phase
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MeijiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 March 2026Meiji Co., Ltd. is Official Milk and Yoghurt Supplier of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027, enhancing taste buds and encouraging healthier choices across the tournament.
• Mitsubishi EstatecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 January 2026Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. is Official Supporter of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027. Continues involvement from RWC 2019 Japan sponsorship and ongoing sponsorship of Japan National Rugby Team since 2020. Japanese real estate developer committed to rugby's five core values.
• LIQUI MOLYcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 January 2026LIQUI MOLY is Official Partner and Official Motor Lubricants Partner of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 and Women's Rugby World Cup 2029, both hosted in Australia. Multi-event agreement.
• MacroncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 January 2026Macron is Official Apparel Partner of Rugby World Cup. Partnership extended through 2029, reinforcing collaboration in place since 2022 with focus on quality, performance and innovation.
• Canal+ GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 December 2025Landmark agreement with Canal+ Group secures coverage of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 and Women's Rugby World Cup 2029 in Australia, alongside key international competitions, for millions of fans across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Coca-ColacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 June 2025The Coca-Cola Company serves as Official Partner of Men's Rugby World Cup 2027. Coca-Cola is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories.
• EmiratescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEmirates serves as a Principal Partner of Rugby World Cup 2027 and 2029 tournaments. Emirates is the global airline partner providing flight services and extensive brand visibility across the tournament.
• Asahi Super DrycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAsahi Super Dry is Official Beer and Principal Partner through a three-tournament partnership covering Women's RWC England 2025, Men's RWC Australia 2027, and Women's RWC Australia 2029. Long-term commitment to rugby sponsorship.
• Dove Men+CarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDove Men+Care is Official Body Care Supplier of Rugby World Cup 2027. Three-tournament partnership including Women's RWC England 2025 and extending to Women's RWC Australia 2029. Unilever Personal Care brands including Sure and Dove also involved.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketmaster Sport is the official ticketing partner of Rugby World Cup 2027, selected by World Rugby to manage ticketing for the Men's Rugby World Cup in Australia. Provides advanced digital ticketing technology and services.
• GilbertcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGilbert Rugby has been the official match ball of every Rugby World Cup since 1995 and supplies the balls for Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 and 2029. Ball inspired by Australian and first nations culture.
• LipovitanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLipovitan is an Official Supplier/Official Energy Drink Partner of Rugby World Cup 2027.
• ChildFundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildFund is a partner of Rugby World Cup 2027, involved in rugby development and community engagement programs.
• Australian State Tourism PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australian tourism bodies including Australia.com, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia to promote host cities and drive tourism for the tournament.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Olympic Committee (IOC): The IOC organizes the Olympic Games, the world's largest multi-sport event. Comparable as a global event organizer with similar revenue model (broadcast rights, sponsorship, ticketing) and host-city selection process, though materially larger in scale.
• International Cricket Council (ICC): ICC organizes the ICC Cricket World Cup, a quadrennial pinnacle tournament with comparable structure to RWC including expanded format, multi-territory broadcast, and tiered sponsorship. Operates as a non-profit governing body with similar revenue reinvestment model.
• World Athletics: World Athletics organizes the World Athletics Championships, a biennial global pinnacle event. Comparable as a sporting federation that monetizes its flagship event through broadcast rights, title sponsorships, and ticketing for a global audience.
• FIBA: FIBA organizes the FIBA Basketball World Cup, a quadrennial national-team tournament. Comparable in structure (governing body, pinnacle event, broadcast and sponsorship model) though basketball's global footprint is larger than rugby's.
• FIFA: FIFA organizes the FIFA World Cup, the most-watched sporting event globally. Directly comparable as a governing body that operates the pinnacle tournament in its sport, with similar revenue model spanning ticketing, broadcasting, and sponsorship across a four-year cycle.
• International Tennis Federation (ITF): ITF organizes the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup national team competitions. Comparable as a governing body operating team-based international tournaments with broadcast, sponsorship, and ticketing revenue, though on a more frequent cycle.

Direct peers

• European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR): EPCR organizes the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, Europe's premier club rugby union competitions. Direct peer within rugby union, with comparable broadcast, sponsorship, and ticketing revenue model focused on club rather than national teams.
• SANZAAR (The Rugby Championship): SANZAAR organizes The Rugby Championship, the southern hemisphere's premier rugby union competition. Direct peer within rugby union, with similar stakeholder structure (national unions) and broadcast/sponsorship monetization.
• Six Nations Rugby: Six Nations Rugby organizes the annual Six Nations Championship, the premier rugby union tournament in the Northern Hemisphere. Direct peer within rugby union, with comparable broadcast, sponsorship, and ticketing revenue model, though on an annual basis.
• Rugby League World Cup: The Rugby League World Cup is the pinnacle tournament of rugby league, organized under the International Rugby League. Directly comparable as a rugby tournament organized on a similar four-year cycle with national teams, broadcast rights, and sponsorship structures.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rugbyworldcup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE28rwYoaV7jvU6GVzdu_GQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/rugbyworldcup
• Instagraminstagram.com/rugbyworldcup
• TikToktiktok.com/@rugbyworldcup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rugby-world-cup-2019-organising-committee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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