The deal will see the national carrier become the title sponsor of the new rugby tournament, which Qatar will host in 2028 after its inaugural edition in 2026.
Qatar Airways has struck a deal to become the title sponsor of the Nations Championship, rugby’s new international competition due to start in 2026, according to an exclusive Guardian report.
The deal is reported to be around QAR 359 million, equivalent to $98.5 million, which will see it become the biggest title sponsorship in rugby’s history.
The agreement will see the national flagship carrier headline four biennial tournaments and the preceding qualifiers, including the 2028 finals, set to be hosted in Doha. The inaugural edition will be held in London next year.
Rugby is not a foreign sport to Qatar Airways, the diverse portfolio of which has seen involvement in the United Rugby Championship in 2023, as its official airline.
“Our growing partnership with the United Rugby Championship underscores our dedication to promoting the sport and creating unforgettable moments for rugby enthusiasts,” Akbar Al-Baker, then CEO of the airlines, had said.
It has also been headlining the Qatar Airways Cup, which saw South Africa clinch victory against Wales in London’s Twickenham Stadium in June 2024.
What is the Nations Championship and where does Qatar fit in?
The Nations Championship was announced in October 2023, as a part of what the World Rugby Council termed as a “transformational reform” for a wider push to take the sports global and attract investments.
Critics, however, have slammed the concept as a potential breakaway tournament that could potentially hamper the sport’s premier event, the Rugby World Cup.
An agreement between the governing body of Europe’s Six Nations and SANZAAR, its equivalent for the nations from the southern hemisphere, had been penned to host the matches in July and November — the two international windows in the existing calendar — followed by a final series. It was endorsed by the World Rugby.
Qatar had initially expressed interest in hosting the first four finals, yet the French and Irish rugby unions resisted it, citing attendance, financial, and human rights concerns.
According to another Guardian report that had initially revealed Qatar as the host for 2028, the Gulf State had offered guaranteed returns totalling around QAR 3565 million ($978 million) as a part of its bid. Qatar could still get to host the event in 2030 or 2032, if revenue targets are met in the meantime.
The inaugural championship will consist of 12 teams: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, and France from the Six Nations, as well as Argentina, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. The two invitational spots are likely to be filled by Fiji and Japan.
