Rugby to court investors after overhaul of international game

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Rugby union is betting that new leagues and changes to its international calendar will power growth in markets such as the Americas and Asia, as the sport’s governing body looks to court investors.

Ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final in Paris between New Zealand and defending champions South Africa, World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said the new competitions could unearth other challengers to the sport’s dominant forces, which would bring commercial benefits.

The governing body this week unveiled a two-division league for international sides from 2026, a move Gilpin expects to increase the opportunities for outside investors in the sport such as private equity.

The scale of the changes underlines rugby’s race to keep up with the rapidly evolving business of sport, amid fierce competition for top broadcast deals, pressure to reach fans who increasingly follow events online and a permanent battle for audience attention.

“What this biennial competition will do is obviously provide more meaningful fixtures that we know fans want,” Gilpin told the Financial Times. “The fact that there’ll be a kind of final of that creates a quasi kind of world championship, if you like, in men’s XVs, but we don’t think that’s a threat to the World Cup.”

Plans are also under way to expand the next men’s World Cup in 2027 in Australia from 20 teams to 24. World Rugby intends to push back the draw for the next tournament so that it better reflects international rankings following criticism that top sides such as France and Ireland were eliminated too early this year.

Calendar changes will aim to reduce clashes between club fixtures and the international game, which the ruling body hopes will help attract external capital to support its growth plans.

“We’ve got a really ambitious strategic plan across investing more in the…