The World’s Game. America’s Opportunity.

877 million fans worldwide. One untapped market left.

 

A Global Game Built for American Demand.

Rugby is played in over 130 countries, with 877 million followers and 9.1 million active participants, yet the U.S. remains commercially untapped.

The timing is unprecedented:

  • A massive domestic contact-sport audience

  • NFL-caliber crossover athletes seeking new opportunities

  • World-class stadium infrastructure already in place

  • A growing youth and collegiate rugby ecosystem

  • The 2028 Olympics, 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cups on U.S. soil

The sport’s physicality, pace, and values align with American culture and the NRFL is positioned to deliver it as a fully professional, media-first platform built for fans, content, and commerce.

Untapped Value. Unmatched Potential.

Rugby is one of the most played and followed sports in the world — ranked #7 globally with 877 million followers, yet it accounts for less than 1% of global sports media rights value.

That gap is the opportunity.

The Rugby World Cup is the 3rd largest sporting event on the planet, but only comes every four years. The market lacks a consistent, commercialized platform that taps into rugby’s full media, content, and fandom potential.

The NRFL is built to fill that void with a modern, entertainment-first league designed to activate passionate rugby fans and capture new U.S. audiences hungry for high-impact, story-driven sports experiences.

 

Most Popular Sports Globally (in billions of fans)

The Most Undervalued Opportunity in Global Sports

Rugby delivers a rare mix of global demand, domestic growth potential, and accessible entry economics. It remains the last major global sport that has not been fully commercialized in the United States. The NRFL is positioned to unlock this opportunity with a modern league model built for scale.

  • Scarcity of Opportunity

    U.S. sports franchise values have pushed into the billions. The NRFL gives investors early entry into a premium contact sport without mature league pricing or saturated competition

  • Untapped American Audience

    Rugby fits the preferences of today’s fan. It is fast, physical, and inclusive. With one of the most evenly balanced male and female fan bases in global sports, it offers a culturally relevant and diverse audience opportunity in the United States.

  • Global Scale, Proven Demand

    Rugby has a global footprint across more than 130 countries and sits deep in the culture of multiple regions. As the United States prepares to host back-to-back Rugby World Cups, the sport is entering its most commercially attractive chapter for the U.S. market.

  • Commercial Upside

    The NRFL is structured to control and monetize the full platform from athlete storytelling and live events to digital IP and branded content. This creates multiple scalable revenue streams across sport, media, and technology. At the same time, rugby accounts for less than one percent of global sports media rights value. That gap represents significant commercial upside that the NRFL is positioned to capture.

“Rugby rewards toughness, intelligence, and teamwork. When you show that to American fans, they understand it immediately. This sport belongs here.”

Mick Byrne, Director of Rugby, NRFL