Rugby World Cup rights secure for UK fans

What's happened

ITV has renewed its deal to show all 52 matches of the expanded 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, with subsequent ties to the Nations Championship and Six Nations coverage; World Rugby says the move ensures UK audiences can experience the event across ITV platforms.

What's behind the headline?

Critical analysis

• ITV’s renewal reinforces a long-standing partnership, positioning ITV as the home of rugby coverage in the UK. The move coincides with the tournament’s expansion to 24 teams and a new knockout stage, which widens potential narratives and engagement opportunities for UK audiences.
• The deal signals a broader strategy to bundle rugby with digital and free-to-air platforms, maintaining accessibility while leveraging ITV’s digital ecosystem to attract younger viewers.
• A key question is how this strengthens domestic teams’ visibility and potential sponsorship opportunities ahead of Australia 2027, and whether BBC’s competing rights will shape future negotiations.
• Expect increased promotional activity around pool-stage clashes involving Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with more extensive highlights and behind-the-scenes content to sustain audience interest between matches.
• The timing aligns with ongoing shifts in sports broadcasting toward hybrid live-plus-digital strategies, which could influence how other sports negotiate rights.

How we got here

The 2027 Rugby World Cup will feature 24 teams and a knockout round of 16, expanding from earlier formats. ITV has held rights for decades and now secures live coverage across ITV1, ITVX and ITV Sport YouTube, complementing existing football and other sports programming.

Our analysis

The Scotsman and BBC Business report ITV’s live rights for all 52 matches, with Alan Gilpin of World Rugby and Niall Sloane of ITV commenting on the deal. The Independent notes ITV’s history with World Rugby and suggests competition from the BBC.

Go deeper

• Will ITV’s coverage attract more domestic sponsorships for rugby in the UK?
• How will the expanded 24-team format affect UK viewership and scheduling?
• What role will live streams on ITVX and YouTube play in engaging younger fans?

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• ITV - Wikimedia disambiguation page

  ITV or iTV may refer to:

• Rugby World Cup - International rugby union competition

  The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognized as the world champions of the sport. The tournament is administered by World Rugby, the sport's international governing body. The winners are awarded the Webb Ellis Cup, named after William Webb Ellis who, according to a popular legend, invented rugby by picking up the ball during a football game and running with it. The tournament was first held in 1987 and was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. Four countries have won the trophy; South Africa four times, New Zealand three times, Australia twice, and England once. South Africa is the current champion, having defeated New Zealand in the final of the 2023 tournament. Sixteen teams participated in the tournament from 1987 until 1995; in 1999, the tournament expanded to twenty teams. Japan hosted the 2019 Rugby World Cup and France hosted the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The tournament will expand again to twenty-four teams when it is held in Australia in 2027. Starting in 2021, the women's equivalent tournament was officially renamed the Rugby World Cup to promote equality with the men...

• World Rugby - Sports governing body

  World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition.

• Australia - Country in Oceania

  Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.