The men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups will be broadcast on Stan Sport and the Nine network after a deal was finally struck with World Rugby, just six weeks before the start of the women’s tournament in New Zealand.
The rights agreement will see Stan Sport and Nine – the publisher of this masthead – broadcast the women’s Rugby World Cup, which begins in October, and the 2023 men’s Rugby World Cup in France.
Stan Sport will broadcast all 26 matches from the women’s Rugby World Cup, which will see the Wallaroos take on the Black Ferns at Eden Park on the opening day of the tournament, October 8. The Wallaroos also meet Scotland and Wales in Pool A games, and the finals begin on October 29.
The women’s Rugby World Cup was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to COVID-19.
Stan Sport and Nine will also be the home of the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2023 in France, with all Wallabies games and the final to be simulcast on Nine and streamed on 9Now. Stan Sport will stream all 48 matches of the seven-week tournament, which runs from September 9 to October 28.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will represent the first time Fox Sports has not been the subscription TV broadcaster for the tournament. Channel Ten was the free-to-air broadcaster in 2019 but Nine held the FTA rights for the 2015 and 2011 Rugby World Cups.
Jordy Petaia carries the ball against England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.Credits:Getty
“Together with our great partners at Rugby Australia, we have grown the audience for rugby significantly and this announcement further highlights our commitment to the game,” Stan Chief Executive Officer Martin Kugeler said in a statement.
“Stan and Nine are uniquely positioned to broadcast the Rugby World Cup to more Australians than ever before with Nine’s Total TV assets [Stan, the Nine Network and 9Now] alongside all of our other channels, including publishing, digital and radio.
“There is no better place to showcase one of the biggest events in global sport and we can’t wait for the women’s World Cup action to kick off in New Zealand this October.”
Watch every match of The Rugby Championship on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sports.