Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola has been unveiled as the latest sponsor of the 2027 men’s Rugby World Cup.
Through the agreement, the brand will serve as the exclusive non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverage partner of the tournament, which takes place in Australia next year between October 1 and November 13.
Coca-Cola’s range of beverages will be available at food and drink outlets, including official bars, fan festivals, and hospitality areas in each of the seven host cities.
Chris Stanley, men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 managing director, said: “Securing a global brand of Coca-Cola's scale and stature is a significant milestone for the Rugby World Cup and a strong endorsement of both the tournament and the opportunity it presents for fans, partners, and communities across Australia.”
Coca-Cola joins the tournament’s commercial portfolio as a second-tier official partner, alongside automobile lubricants manufacturer Liqui Moly.
They sit below principal partners Emirates Airlines and Japanese beverage company Asahi.
Emirates renewed its deal with the World Rugby governing body last November to continue to cover top-line events for the next 10 years.
Now running through 2035, the airline serves as a World Rugby platinum-tier partner, the sole member of the organization’s highest sponsorship tier.
In December, Gilbert, the rugby equipment brand and prominent ball supplier, also extended its long-term partnership with World Rugby until 2033.
Other 2027 Rugby World Cup partners include Dove Men+Care, Macron, Mitsubishi Estate, Meiji, Ticketmaster, and Lipovitan-D.
Meanwhile, Rugby Australia has extended its partnership with CyberCX, the cybersecurity services firm owned by Accenture, through to the end of 2027.
As the governing body's official cybersecurity services partner, the Australian company will continue to provide services to secure the sport's technology infrastructure, protect sensitive data and intellectual property, and improve organisational risk assessments.
The partnership extension will see CyberCX branding feature in both the Wallabies and Wallaroos coaches’ boxes for all home test matches.
The CyberCX brand will also be integrated into the match-day experience through high-impact LED stadium signage.
