Rugby/New Zealand: Sky acquires broadcasting rights to World Rugby competitions (2023-2029 cycle)

Sky has acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights in New Zealand for competitions organised by World Rugby over the 2023-2029 cycle, announced the pay-TV operator on 10/10/2022.

The agreement "includes every men's and every women's Rugby World Cup, the new WXV (international women's fifteens competition) and the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Under the deal, World Rugby will acquire RugbyPass, and the two parties have agreed a joint approach to the production of exclusive programming, particularly in the women\s game," explained Sky.

The pay-TV group Spark New Zealand held the full broadcasting rights, in New Zealand, to the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The public group TVNZ held the free-to-air rights to some of the live matches, but not those of the New Zealand national team.