World Rugby targets global growth through multi-tournament Ticketmaster deal

World Rugby has named Ticketmaster as the official ticketing service for the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in Australia in 2027 and 2029.

Rugby’s global governing body handed Ticketmaster the deals following the recent success of its launch for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England. It said that it sees its association with the global ticketing giant as a vehicle for growing the game across the planet.

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said: “Ticketmaster is playing a key role in supporting our mission to grow the global game by making the sport more available and more relevant to a wider and global audience.

“The collaboration has already proven to be particularly successful in making Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 the most sought-after women’s sporting ticket of the year, and the biggest women’s rugby event ever.”

Fan experience

Ticketmaster said it will work with venues across Australia to ensure optimum fan experience from purchase to entry. Ticketmaster’s SafeTix, virtual queue technology, white-label platform and other tools, including Ticketmaster Sport’s tournament solutions, are to be deployed for the events. These are designed to simplify entry, enhance security and drive growth in data management, pricing, marketing and distribution.

Gavin Taylor, managing director of Ticketmaster Australia, said: “We are proud to be partnering with World Rugby to deliver one of the biggest sports tournaments in the world. As a leader in ticketing world-class sporting events, our team looks forward to delivering a seamless experience for Rugby fans across the globe who will make their way to Australia for Men’s and Women’s World Cup events.”

Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 is set to take place across seven host cities during October and November 2027. Sydney will host the semi-finals and Rugby World Cup final. Dates for the Women’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2029 have yet to be confirmed.

Two Circles was the official ticketing marketing agency for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in the UK and Ireland.

Earlier this year, World Rugby signed an exclusive agreement with Sports Travel and Hospitality (STH) for premium ticketing packages through to 2029. The deal, creating the RWC Experiences programme, aims to align with World Rugby’s goal of advancing the sport’s relevance and accessibility.