World Rugby: partnership with IMG for the marketing of international TV rights, with a focus on the US

World Rugby has extended its partnership with the British agency IMG for the marketing of international media rights, with the aim of "further accelerating rugby’s growth in the United States and globally," the world body announced on 30/04/2026.

This announcement comes as the men’s (2031) and women’s (2033) Rugby World Cups are set to be held in the United States. ", IMG will help World Rugby shape a media and market strategy designed to deliver long-term impact," the international federation said. World Rugby has been working with IMG for 30 years.

IMG will provide strategic advice on the marketing and distribution of international media rights, as well as "broader consulting across the global World Rugby media rights ecosystem, driving audience reach and growing value and impact for the sport more broadly."

The British agency also collaborated with World Rugby in May 2025 on the allocation of exclusive TV rights for the body's international competitions and matches involving the US national teams to the American media group CBS (Paramount Skydance) for the 2025-2029 cycle. IMG also…