Emirates commits support to Asia Rugby to broaden reach and appeal of sport in 36 countries

Emirates has today announced its continued commitment to grow the sport of rugby and expand its reach into new, untapped markets by serving as the Title Sponsor of Asia Rugby.

The new multi-year partnership allows the airline to enable Asia Rugby to invest in and stage 7s and 15s series tournaments, as well as Asia Rugby Championships with participation that cuts across 36 countries in Asia.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Emirates has a long history of supporting rugby, dating back to our early days as an airline. Since then, we’ve deepened our presence within the sport across every level, from supporting global organisations and tournaments like World Rugby and five consecutive Rugby World Cups, and the global 7s series, to headlining the Emirates Dubai 7s and growing the footprint of the UAE Rugby Federation.

We’re particularly proud to extend our support to Asia Rugby to take the sport into new markets and boost its appeal, as well as open untapped possibilities for younger athletes to develop their skills and realise their full potential. And this is just the start. We will continue to harness the power of grassroots sporting activities that forge strong bonds with the communities we serve to meaningfully contribute to their growth and resilience.”

His Excellency Qais Al-Dhalai, Asia Rugby President said: “I am delighted to welcome Emirates as the Title Sponsor of Asia Rugby. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand the reach and impact of rugby across our 36 members and across Asia. With Emirates' support, we are poised to bring the excitement and values of rugby to a new generation of athletes and fans.

Our growing reputation for reliability, credibility and professionalism has given Emirates the confidence to associate their brand with ours. With the UAE serving as the headquarters of Asia Rugby, this partnership with Emirates feels like a perfect synergy. The UAE has become a centre for rugby activities, providing a strategic base to coordinate and grow the sport across the continent. Emirates is synonymous with premier rugby events globally, and this collaboration is set to elevate the sport's profile across Asia.”

He continued: “In the last five years, we have established Asia Rugby as a brand with more tournaments and increased the reach of our social media with all our events live streamed, to bring rugby to Asia. Our shared goal is to empower athletes, build a robust talent pipeline, and cultivate a passionate fanbase that will sustain the sport for years to come.”

As part of the agreement, the airline will be the title sponsor across Asia Rugby competitions and tournaments, including the Asia Rugby Men’s and Women’s Championships, the Asia Rugby Sevens Series and age-grade competitions cutting across a number of age groups. These tournaments offer a pathway to premier regional and global competitions such as the Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup Sevens, the Olympic Games, Asian Games as well as the HSBC SVNS Series and the World Rugby Sevens Challenger.

The airline’s iconic ‘Fly Better’ branding will appear on match official jerseys, match balls, support staff bibs, post pads, as well as stadium branding, among other benefits for 21 different tournaments over the span of 3 years.

The first of the more than 20 tournaments where Emirates will have a strong presence includes the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series Men’s and Women’s Round 2, set to begin on 21 September 2024 in Hangzhou, China. The tournament will feature the top 8 men’s and women’s teams fighting for ranking spots for the final round to be played in Bangkok, Thailand in November.

Asia Rugby, the regional association of World Rugby, is based in Dubai, and represents 36 member unions across the continent, including China, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan, to name a few. The association organises a mix of Sevens and Fifteens competitions, for both men and women, across different age groups, including U18s and U20s.

With Asia home to 60% of the world’s population, and 80% of its youth, the potential to cultivate a new generation of players and enrich the pipeline of talent and love for the game through a strong fanbase in local communities is in line with Emirates’ shared objective with Asia Rugby to empower athletes from the ground up.

Emirates can be found at the centre of the action at almost every international rugby match. Globally, Emirates has been sponsoring Rugby World Cup (RWC) since 2007 and in 2011, became RWC’s worldwide partner, further cementing the airline as one of the world’s biggest supporters of the sport of rugby. The airline also sponsors the jerseys of World Rugby’s Match Officials who take to the field in their Emirates ‘Fly Better’ kits. Emirates’ strong rugby partnerships also extend to the South African Emirates Lions and their home venue, Emirates Airline Park.

In the airline’s home base of Dubai, The Emirates Dubai 7s tournament has been running for more than 50 years and Emirates was an active partner in growing its international status when it first began its support in 1987 in cooperation with World Rugby. Through clear focus and a strong commitment from the airline, the Emirates Dubai 7s has become the largest sports event in the region, with over 100,000 fans joining over the three-day tournament every year. In addition, Emirates’ longstanding sponsorship of the Dubai Hurricanes Rugby Club is part of its commitment to growing the sport and connecting young people to the game in local communities in the UAE.

Last October, Emirates renewed its support for the UAE Rugby Federation (UAERF) as title and jersey sponsor of the UAE national 15s and 7s teams (men’s and women’s) including the all-Emirati Shaheen and Al Maha teams, as well as official airline of the federation until the end of 2026.