Rugby union’s World Rugby governing body has added Dubai-based airline Emirates as an official partner for the upcoming 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC25).
The partnership will see World Rugby match officials wear kits featuring Emirates’ ‘Fly Better’ logo across all 32 matches during the tournament, which will begin on August 22 and run through September 27 across England.
The airline will also gain significant marketing exposure across the World Cup's digital and social channels, as well as on-ground activation and in-stadium branding at all eight venues hosting games.
Along with flagship stadium Twickenham, other stadiums include venues in Brighton and Hove (AMEX Stadium), Bristol (Ashton Gate Stadium), Exeter (Sandy Park), Manchester (Salford Community Stadium), Northampton (Franklin’s Gardens), Sunderland (Stadium of Light), and York (York Community Stadium).
Michel Poussau, World Rugby’s chief revenue officer, has said: “Emirates has been a trusted and long-standing partner of World Rugby and our pinnacle competitions for nearly two decades, and we’re proud to extend this enduring relationship into the groundbreaking Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
“Their continued commitment to supporting our match officials plays a crucial role in upholding excellence on the field. This partnership reflects not only our shared values but also our collective ambition to elevate rugby on the global stage.”
Among the 16 teams competing in the tournament, Emirates has a commercial and operational presence in 13 of those countries.
Emirates also has a long-standing presence in rugby, most notably as a sponsor of six consecutive Rugby World Cup tournaments.
Its portfolio also includes sponsorship of the Cape Town 7s and Dubai 7s events, Asia Rugby, and the UAE Rugby Federation.
The airline recently announced a multi-year partnership with European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), making it the premium partner and official airline partner of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.
Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airlines, has said: “Women’s rugby is flourishing globally, and Emirates’ significant investment expands our presence and supports rugby’s growth.
“Making the sport accessible to everyone is part of our commitment to creating long-lasting impact, stronger connections with fans, and unlocking possibilities through the power of sport.”
Other companies to recently partner with the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup include banking giant HSBC, as well as the UK’s snack food brand Kettle Chips, luxury car brand Defender, and grooming product Wilkinson Sword.
The highest-profile sponsorship capture ahead of the event, however, is perhaps global consumer goods conglomerate Unilever, which has signed on to partner the 2025 and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups, as well as the 2027 men’s edition of the tournament, through its Dove, Dove Men+Care, Rexona (also known as Sure), Simple, and Axe (also known as Lynx) brands.
Asahi Breweries, the Japanese beverage company, IT company Capgemini, credit card giant Mastercard, and insurance firm Gallagher are also principal partners of the 2025 Women’s RWC.
