Nations Championship loses title sponsor on eve of inaugural London climax
The Nations Championship has lost its title sponsor on the eve of the inaugural international rugby competition’s climax in a £15m blow to the sport. Qatar Airways has cancelled its sponsorship agreement with the world’s top rugby nations, as well as a deal to host the 2028 finals – this year staged at London’s Allianz [...]
The Nations Championship has suffered a £15 million setback as Qatar Airways has terminated its sponsorship deal on the eve of the inaugural international rugby competition's finale in London. The Middle Eastern nation has also withdrawn its bid to host the 2028 finals, which were initially scheduled for the United States before shifting to Doha in 2032.
The Guardian reports that the top 10 teams in international rugby would have collectively earned £80 million from the sponsorship. Turbulence in the Middle East, including threats from Iran and Yemen, appears to be the cause of Qatar Airways' decision. The lack of a title sponsor has put the future of the Nations Championship in jeopardy, potentially affecting other sports like Formula 1, which still has scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
The final weekend of the traditional Autumn Nations Series has been replaced by a three-day, six-game festival of rugby in London, with around 70 percent of tickets already sold. Despite this, there are still thousands of tickets available for Wales' three fixtures against Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, which could prove costly for the Wales Rugby Union in terms of revenue.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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