Emirates has announced that it will continue to support rugby and expand into new markets by serving Asia Rugby as its title sponsor. The airline’s new multi-year agreement allows Asia Rugby to stage and invest in 7s and 15s Series tournaments as well as Asia Rugby Championships. Participants from 36 countries in Asia are included in the partnership.
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, Emirates Airline has deepened their presence in the sport on all levels, from supporting global organizations and tournaments such as World Rugby and five consecutive Rugby World Cups to presenting the Emirates Dubai 7s. We have also grown the footprint of UAE Rugby Federation. We are particularly proud to extend support to Asia Rugby, to help the sport reach new markets and increase its appeal. It also opens up untapped opportunities for younger athletes to develop skills and realize their full potential. This is only the beginning. We will continue harnessing the power of grassroots sports activities that create strong bonds with communities we serve in order to meaningfully and positively contribute to their growth.
Qais al-Dhalai said, “I am delighted that Emirates is the Title Sponsor of Asia Rugby. This partnership marks an important milestone in our mission of expanding the reach and impact rugby across Asia and our 36 members. With Emirates’ help, we can bring the excitement and values associated with rugby to a brand new generation. Emirates has been able to associate our brand with us because of our growing reputation for reliability and professionalism. This partnership between Emirates and the UAE feels like the perfect synergy, as the UAE is the headquarters of Asia Rugby. The UAE has been a centre of rugby activities for many years, and is now a strategic location to coordinate the sport on the continent. Emirates is synonymous with premier Rugby events worldwide, and this collaboration will elevate the sport’s status in Asia.”
He continued:
“In the past five years, we’ve established Asia Rugby as brand with more events and increased the reach on our social media, with all our live-streamed events, to bring Rugby to Asia.”
Our shared goal to empower athletes, create a robust pipeline of talent, and cultivate passionate fans that will sustain the sports for years to follow.
As part of the deal, the airline will serve as the title sponsor for all Asia Rugby tournaments and competitions. These include the Asia Rugby Men’s Championships and Women’s Championships. The Asia Rugby Sevens Series. And age-grade competitions that span a range of age groups. These tournaments are a stepping stone to major regional and global competitions like the Rugby World Cup Sevens and Olympic Games.
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 Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series Women’s and Men’s Round 2 will be the second of more than twenty tournaments where Emirates has a strong presence. This tournament is scheduled to begin in Hangzhou, China on 21st September 2024. The tournament will see the top eight men’s and woman’s teams competing for rankings spots for the final round, which will be played in Bangkok in November.
Asia Rugby, a regional association of World Rugby based in Dubai, represents 36 member unions from across the continent. This includes China, India Indonesia Sri Lanka Bangladesh Malaysia Thailand Japan and many more. The association organises Sevens- and Fifteens-type competitions for both men, and women, in various age groups. This includes U18s and U20s.
Emirates’ shared goal with Asia Rugby is to empower athletes starting from the bottom up.
Emirates is a mainstay at every international rugby game. Emirates has been sponsoring Rugby World Cup since 2007, and in 2011 became RWC’s global partner. This further cemented the airline’s position as one of the biggest supporters of rugby in the world. 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 partnership extends to the South African Emirates Lions as well as their home venue, Emirates Airline Park.
Emirates has been supporting the Emirates Dubai 7s tournament in Dubai for over 50 years. It was in 1987 that it began to work with World Rugby in order to grow its international standing. Emirates Dubai 7s is the largest sports event of the region. Over 100,000 fans attend the three-day event every year. Emirates’ long-standing sponsorship of Dubai Hurricanes Rugby Club also shows its commitment to growing sport and connecting youth to the game.
Emirates renewed their support for the UAE Rugby Federation last October. They are the title and shirt sponsor of both the men’s and women’s national 15s & 7s teams in the UAE, including the all Emirati Shaheen & Al Maha teams. They are also the official airline of the UAE Rugby Federation until the end 2026.