World Rugby announces landmark rights agreement with CBS Sports, making Paramount+ the home of World Rugby in the US through to 2029

World Rugby has announced an exclusive, multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement with CBS Sports for Paramount+ to become the U.S. home for all men’s and women’s World Rugby events through 2029, including the next three Rugby World Cups and all USA national team matches.

CBS Sports and Paramount+ become the exclusive home of rugby in the US until at least 2029, including the next three Rugby World Cups

Agreement cements biggest-ever multi-platform distribution for the sport in the US

As the home for all CBS Sports’ coverage of World Rugby events, Paramount+ will stream every men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup match, men’s and women’s USA national team matches, the HSBC SVNS, WXV, and Pacific Nations Cup

Unprecedented multi-platform rugby coverage across linear and streaming

Aligns with World Rugby’s strategic growth plan to deepen engagement with U.S. fans across all platforms

Follows record-breaking U.S. ticket sales and rising domestic fandom ahead of hosting men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033

World Rugby has announced an exclusive, multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement with CBS Sports for Paramount+ to become the U.S. home for all men’s and women’s World Rugby events through 2029, including the next three Rugby World Cups and all USA national team matches. Under the agreement, Paramount+ will stream every match live with select matches airing on CBS and CBS Sports Network.

As the nationwide destination for World Rugby competitions, Paramount+ will stream CBS Sports’ exclusive live coverage of the Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2025 and 2029, the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 and premium annual competitions, including the HSBC SVNS, WXV, Pacific Nations Cup, Pacific Four Series and Men’s U20 World Championship.

All USA men’s and women’s national team matches are also included in an extensive deal that will serve fans in the U.S. with more rugby content than ever before. On 19 July, CBS Sports will televise a doubleheader involving both USA national teams, airing on the CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network. Both matches will stream live on Paramount. On 23 May, the USA women’s team will play New Zealand at 11:30 PM ET in a match exclusively on CBS Sports Network.

The comprehensive partnership represents a transformative launchpad for the sport, offering American audiences unprecedented access to world-class rugby across linear and streaming platforms, and it underscores World Rugby’s strategic ambition to grow the game in the United States, which will host Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033. Fans will now have a frictionless entry point to discover, watch, follow and fall in love with rugby.

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: "Today’s announcement is a generational moment for rugby in the United States. This landmark partnership with CBS Sports and Paramount+ is tangible proof of our commitment to grow the game by connecting great rugby with sports fans wherever they are.

“With their incredible reach and storytelling pedigree, CBS Sports and Paramount+ will be instrumental in building a coast-to-coast rugby community in a country already boasting over 800,000 players, a dynamic college system, a huge growth rise in women’s rugby, growing men’s professional league, and a fanbase of nearly 40 million.

“This important deal builds on strong momentum in the U.S. market, supercharging the fan ecosystem with shoulder content, digital storytelling, and on-demand access to help convert curiosity into lasting fandom.”

Executive Vice President of Programming, CBS Sports, Dan Weinberg added: “With rugby’s popularity continuing to grow here in the U.S., this is the perfect moment to bring every major World Rugby competition to CBS Sports and Paramount+. By adding these championship events to our platforms, we’re elevating rugby’s presence nationwide and providing fans for the first time unmatched access to some of the sport’s most prestigious competitions. Paramount+ is now a year-round must-have for rugby fans.”

USA Rugby CEO, Bill Goren stated: “Our mission is to bring rugby to new audiences nationwide, and this partnership between World Rugby and CBS Sports marks an extraordinary leap forward. By showcasing both our USA Eagles and broader international competition, we’re building bridges between American sports fans and the excitement of the global game. Together with CBS Sports and World Rugby, we’re proud to lay a new foundation for rugby’s future in the United States.

The USA Eagles’ upcoming Summer Series has already set new records for ticket sales, while the recent women’s national team encounter with Canada in Kansas City played out in front of a packed stadium that also generated the largest-ever American attendance for a women’s rugby international. The growing profile of players like Ilona Maher, a crossover social media star and Olympic athlete, signals rugby’s rising cultural relevance in the U.S.

Key dates for World Rugby competitions on Paramount+ through the remainder of 2025 include:

Sunday, 29 June: Start of men’s World Rugby U20 Championship

Start of men’s World Rugby U20 Championship Friday, 22 August: Start of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 (USA v host England) and Pacific Nations Cup

Start of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 (USA v host England) and Pacific Nations Cup Saturday, 20 September: Men’s Pacific Nations Cup final, Salt Lake City

Men’s Pacific Nations Cup final, Salt Lake City Saturday, 27 September: Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final, London

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final, London Saturday, 1 November: New Zealand v Ireland men’s test match (Soldier Field, Chicago)

Tickets for USA men’s and women’s home 2025 test matches are now on sale via usa.rugby/tickets.

About CBS Sports

CBS Sports, a year-round leader in cross-platform sports coverage, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; college football, including the BIG TEN ON CBS; college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; soccer, including the UEFA Champions League and NWSL; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In addition, the division includes CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports which televises live sports programming throughout the year, including college football and basketball games, soccer matches from UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL, as well as a full slate of original programming and studio coverage. CBS Sports also delivers an extensive lineup of global soccer coverage on Paramount+, including every UEFA club competition match, all Serie A matches as well as English Football League competitions. CBS Sports’ multi-platform offerings include CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices; the 24/7 streaming sports news network CBS SPORTS HQ; the free 24-hour soccer streaming network CBS SPORTS GOLAZO NETWORK; 247Sports; CBS Sports fantasy games; and SportsLine.

About Paramount+

Paramount+, part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment and news brands, is a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combining live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service's cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social media.

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