TF1 will become the home of Rugby World Cup 2025 and WXV from 2023 after reaching an exclusive rights deal with World Rugby for the French market.
With women’s rugby going from strength to strength, TF1 will show all the action from an expanded Rugby World Cup 2025 in England running from 22 August to 27 September, featuring 16 teams, including France who secured automatic qualification by finishing third in New Zealand last year.
The deal, which extends the long-standing and successful partnership between the sport’s global governing body and TF1, will also see the broadcaster become home to WXV from 2023, the transformational new competition featuring the world’s top teams.
TF1 will broadcast live France’s matches from the top division of WXV 1 hosted in New Zealand. France play the hosts on 21 October, Australia on 28 October and Canada on 4 November.
“The acquisition of this competition reaffirms our commitment to rugby and, more broadly, to women’s sport,” said Julien Millereux, TF1 director of sport.
“We are delighted to offer the French viewers this elite tournament, which we’re convinced will be one of the stand-out sporting events of 2025.”
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin added: “The women’s game is central to our mission to grow rugby globally. By increasing visibility across broadcasters and via digital platforms we can showcase the very best players in the world, increasing our fanbase and participation more broadly.
“Over a successful and long-standing partnership, TF1 has demonstrated that it shares our vision and therefore we are delighted to be bringing an expanded Rugby World Cup and the debut of WXV, two massive moments for the sport, to viewers in France via TF1’s quality programming and promotion.” – WORLD RUGBY
