ITV will be the Rugby World Cup UK broadcaster exclusively in 2023.
Following ITV’s production and broadcast of the most watched ever Rugby World Cup in 2019, this new deal means all the action from the tournament will be shown exclusively free-to-air to UK viewers on its channels.
Meanwhile, Prime Video will be broadcasting the warm-up games for each to the home nations, which includes Steve Borthwick's England once again heading to Dublin to take on Ireland.
BBC, despite missing out on television rights, will be the exclusive radio broadcaster for the tournament.
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “The Rugby World Cup has become a prime fixture every four years on ITV, so, following such a successful tournament in 2015, we’re delighted to be able to announce we will continue to be the competition’s home until 2023.
“And our new deal kicks off with exclusive coverage of the women’s tournament in Ireland later this year, which, along with the rights to the World Rugby U20 Championship, broadens our association with elite rugby.
“Rugby World Cup 2015 was the most widely viewed rugby event ever, the live audience for Rugby World Cup 2015 increased by a factor of 48 per cent over the last edition in New Zealand, with live viewership through 106 broadcasters reaching nearly 724 million homes worldwide.”
World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “We are delighted to be partnering with ITV in an exciting long-term deal that will showcase our biggest fifteens events, including Rugby World Cup, Women’s Rugby World Cup and our annual World Rugby U20 Championship, to a free-to-air audience in the UK.
"Rugby World Cup 2015 set new standards of rugby broadcast innovation and delivery, providing a record number of fans in a record number of nations with every unforgettable moment from the most compelling and competitive tournament to date.
"As host broadcaster, ITV was at the heart of the success story, bringing fans closer to what was the best-attended, most-viewed, most-competitive and most socially-engaged Rugby World Cup ever and while this was a highly-competitive process for one of rugby's most prized broadcast rights, we were impressed by ITV's passion for the sport and continued broadcast innovation.
"Great events are built on great partnerships and we are excited to be working with ITV, a long-term supporter of Rugby World Cup, to further fan-experience and rugby growth within the UK over the next eight years.”
England’s World Cup fixtures confirmed with routine route to final
The next tournament will be held in France and the hosts will face New Zealand in a blockbuster opening match in Saint-Denis.
Chile and Tonga are the latest teams to qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The finals work the same way as the 2019 tournament with the first two teams in each pool progressing to the quarter-finals, which will be contested by knock-out matches.
If we suppose the top-ranked teams each win their pools and the second-ranked teams finish runners-up then the quarter-finals in 2023 could look something like this…
- Wales vs Argentina
- South Africa vs France
- England vs Australia
- New Zealand vs Ireland
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The draw is a key milestone on the journey to Rugby World Cup France 2023, and the time when the tournament truly comes to life for teams and players alike.
“It enables key operational elements to be undertaken such as venue allocation, optimal match schedule development and the ticketing programme.”
FULL 2023 RUGBY WORLD CUP DRAW:
POOL A
- New Zealand
- France
- Italy
- Uruguay
- Namibia
POOL A FIXTURES:
- Sep 8: France vs New Zealand (Pool A) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Sep 9: Italy vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
- Sep 14: France vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
- Sep 15: New Zealand vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
- Sep 20: Italy vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Stade de Nice, Nice
- Sep 21: France vs Namibia (Pool A) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
- Sep 27: Uruguay vs Namibia (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon
- Sep 29: New Zealand vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon
- Oct 5: New Zealand vs Uruguay (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon
- Oct 6: France vs Italy (Pool A) – Parc OL, Lyon
Antoine Dupont of France calls for the mark during the Six Nations Championship match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on March 13 2021. - PHOTO: Micah Crook/PPAUK
POOL B
- South Africa
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Tonga
- Romania
POOL B FIXTURES:
- Sep 9: Ireland vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
- Sep 10: South Africa vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
- Sep 16: Ireland vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
- Sep 17: South Africa vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
- Sep 23: South Africa vs Ireland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Sep 24: Scotland vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade de Nice, Nice
- Sep 30: Scotland vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
- Oct 1: South Africa vs Tonga (Pool B) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
- Oct 7: Ireland vs Scotland (Pool B) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Oct 8: Tonga vs Romania (Pool B) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
POOL C
- Wales
- Australia
- Fiji
- Georgia
- Portugal
POOL C FIXTURES:
- Sep 9: Australia vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Sep 10: Wales vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
- Sep 16: Wales vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stade de Nice, Nice
- Sep 17: Australia vs Fiji (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
- Sep 23: Georgia vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
- Sep 24: Wales vs Australia (Pool C) – Parc OL, Lyon
- Sep 30: Fiji vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
- Oct 1: Australia vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
- Oct 7: Wales vs Georgia (Pool C) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
- Oct 8: Fiji vs Portugal (Pool C) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
POOL D
- England
- Japan
- Argentina
- Samoa
- Chile
POOL D FIXTURES:
- Sep 9: England vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
- Sep 10: Japan vs Chile (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
- Sep 16: Samoa vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
- Sep 17: England vs Japan (Pool D) – Stade de Nice, Nice
- Sep 22: Argentina vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne
- Sep 23: England vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
- Sep 28: Japan vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
- Sep 30: Argentina vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
- Oct 7: England vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
- Oct 8: Japan vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Marcus Smith of England and Alex Dombrandt of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on 20 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
