Aligned with World Rugby’s strategy to grow the sport by increasing relevance and accessibility to younger fans on a global scale, the wide-ranging partnership aims to expand rugby’s reach by making merchandise more accessible to rugby fans worldwide. This will be achieved by creating the sport’s first ‘always on’ global merchandise destination for World Rugby and national member unions.
Under the agreement, Fanatics will create, curate and manage the e-commerce, in-venue, wholesale, memorabilia and licensing programme for the sport’s biggest events, including two women’s Rugby World Cups (England 2025 and Australia 2029) and the men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027. Each will benefit from Fanatics' extensive global digital network and in-venue retail capability.
The online store will operate on Fanatics' advanced Cloud Commerce Platform (CCP), seamlessly integrating with World Rugby’s digital channels, including events, ticketing, and content, creating a unified rugby retail destination.
Fanatics is known for partnering with top sports brands worldwide, delivering a premium shopping experience with high-resolution product displays, easy checkout, and quick access to new product launches. Fanatics also has extensive global reach, including a major presence in important markets for rugby expansion over the next decade.
The company’s significant experience in rugby includes partnerships with Rugby Australia, England Rugby, New Zealand Rugby, Six Nations Rugby, and the British and Irish Lions. Fanatics currently partners with more than 900 of the world’s pre-eminent sports organisations, including Chelsea FC, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Aston Villa, Everton, the AFL, the R&A, NFL, NBA, NHL, WWE and Formula 1.
World Rugby and Fanatics will work together to achieve the ambitions set-out in the international federation’s Environmental Sustainability Plan 2030 minimising single use plastic and using recyclable packing for merchandise distributed by Fanatics while also tracking greenhouse gas emissions from its operations.
World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer Michel Poussau said: “This is a landmark deal that represents our ambition to align our events and products under a single always on destination for fans.
“It will ensure that their experience will be best-in-class, no matter where they are in the world as we accelerate into a new era for rugby with all Rugby World Cup hosts confirmed through to 2033, including an era-defining Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025, game-changing men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in Australia in 2027 and 29 and historic men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in the USA in 2031 and 33. Fanatics’ global market reach and innovation is particularly exciting.”
Fanatics President of International Stephen Dowling added: “Rugby is undergoing a huge transformation in terms of how it reaches and engages with fans across the globe, and we are delighted to partner with World Rugby to bring forward this exciting new era. With tentpole events, such as Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, on the horizon, this collaboration will offer rugby fans a new, always-on global destination offering access to the very best in product, service and fan experience - no matter where you are in the world or how you prefer to shop.
“Together with World Rugby, we are raising the bar for rugby fans around the world, and we can’t wait to get started.”
About World Rugby
World Rugby’s mission is to grow and sustain rugby as a leading global sport. Within a rapidly-changing sports and entertainment environment, World Rugby works closely with its national federations, regional associations, players and fans to create a sport that people want to play, watch and support by making it more accessible and relevant to more people in more nations. At the heart of this purpose are its stable of world class events, including the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups and HSBC SVNS, which generate the revenues that sustain investment in rugby at all levels and all countries.
For additional information visit www.worldrugby.org
About Fanatics
Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximise the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet.
Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform.
Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores.
Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.
For additional information please visit www.fanaticsinc.com.
