Rugby: ITV lands UK rights for 2027 Rugby World Cup

ITV keeps the Rugby World Cup on free-to-air

World Rugby has confirmed ITV as the exclusive UK broadcast partner for the men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027. The deal keeps the tournament on free-to-air television across the United Kingdom and extends a partnership that now stretches across a decade of coverage.

For ITV, this marks a 10th consecutive men’s Rugby World Cup. That continuity is the number that matters here, in a market where marquee sport keeps drifting behind paywalls.

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A bigger tournament to sell

The 2027 edition expands to 24 teams for the first time, up from 20, and runs to 52 matches from October 1 to November 13. A new round of 16 sits between the pools and the quarter-finals, stretching the knockout phase and adding fixtures with real jeopardy.

ITV has committed to airing all 52 matches live, with highlights and analysis across ITVX and its digital channels. The BBC, which held the last women’s tournament, missed out this time.

Why it lands now

Locking UK coverage more than a year out gives World Rugby certainty on its biggest market and gives ITV a long runway to build around an expanded event. For fans, the headline is simpler. Every match, no subscription.

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