Saturday 10 May 9Gem
02:30 PM AEST Women’s Rugby Test Wallaroos v Black Ferns
Wide World of Sports presents Women’s Rugby Test with the Wallaroos v Black Ferns, live from McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle. Join our expert commentary team for all the action, analysis and post match interviews. Kick off at 3:00PM AEST.
Saturday 17 May 9Gem
04:30 PM AEST Women’s Rugby Test Wallaroos v USA
Wide World of Sports presents Women’s Rugby Test with the Wallaroos v USA, live from GIO Stadium, Canberra. Join our expert commentary team for all the action, analysis and post match interviews. Kick off at 4:55PM AEST.
This just now on Facebook.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Nine has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to the upcoming Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in a multi-tournament deal with World Rugby, solidifying Stan Sport, the 9Network and 9Now as the ultimate destination for Australian Rugby fans 
The deal includes:
Rugby World Cups 2025, 2027, 2029 
World Rugby Sevens Series (2025-2029) 
World Rugby U20 Championship (2025, Italy) 
Pacific Nations Cup (2025, USA) 
WXV Tournaments (from 2026) 
#StanSportAU #9WWOS #RWC2025 #RWC2027 #RWC2029 #SVNS #WorldRugbyU20s #PacificNationsCup #WXV
our resident rugby expert might be able to elaborate on this but I’ve heard this deal had been finalised before the RA deal
I believe this to be the case - but they wanted to announce after the RA deal was signed off and announced
Starting with Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England (22 August – 27 September), every Wallaroos and Wallabies Rugby World Cup match will be shown live and free on the 9Network and 9Now, ensuring all Australians have a front-row seat to cheer on their national teams. The final of this already historic edition will also be available free-to-air, further raising the profile of the women’s game before the tournament heads to Australia in 2029.
Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, the third edition to be hosted in Australia after 1987 (co-hosted with New-Zealand) and 2003, is set to welcome a new era of rugby with an expanded format of 24 teams, six pools and 52 matches. To ensure a nationwide celebration of the sport, half the fixtures will be shown live and free on Nine and 9 Now including all Wallabies matches, the two semi finals and the much-anticipated RWC Final in Sydney on 13 November 2027.
Stan Sport becoming a serious competitor to Fox Sports. 7 aired the 2003 RWC which drew 4 million views on the night of the Final back in 2003
In what way? They’ve got an odd collection of sports that don’t seem to attract much subscriber interest
To ensure a nationwide celebration of the sport, half the fixtures will be shown live and free on Nine and 9 Now including all Wallabies matches, the two semi finals and the much-anticipated RWC Final in Sydney on 13 November 2027.
This is the big takeaway for me. Keeping the Stan exclusivity while making sure the country is talking about the tournament
Yeah, they need that big piece to fall (NRL/AFL/cricket) and two of those are locked away for some time.
EPL will help if they get it but it’s niche.
They’re closer than P+, Optus, Amazon etc but a long way off killing off Fox Sports.
Unless you like Tennis, Football, Rugby, Motorsport or any of the other sports they show…
The 2025 Pacific Nations Cup (August 22-September 20), alongside Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, will be the first tournament to be covered under World Rugby’s new deal with Nine Entertainment.
More information about the PNC can be found in this article.
Partnership Cements Nine as the Only Destination for Australian Rugby Fans – Including Two Tournaments on Home Soil!
In a clear demonstration of its commitment to bringing Australians major sporting moments, Nine has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to the upcoming Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups, showcasing its unique ability to connect with the widest possible audience while providing a dedicated home for passionate fans.
This golden era for Rugby kicks off with the highly anticipated British & Irish Lions Tour in 2025, bolstered by the game-changing Rugby World Cup deal that solidifies Stan Sport, the 9Network and 9Now as the ultimate destination for rugby.
Nine’s leading streaming and broadcast platforms will showcase the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, followed by the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 – the first time since 2003 – and the Women’s Rugby World Cups 2029 – hosted right here on home soil. Stan Sport will deliver every match from all three tournaments live and on-demand, while all the must-see action – including Wallabies and Wallaroos games – will be live and free on the 9Network and 9Now.
With the unmatched combination of the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport, fans won’t miss a moment – from the first kick-off to the final whistle. Whether live on free-to-air, streaming on demand, or diving into expert commentary, analysis and entertainment across Nine’s unrivalled suite of digital, publishing and audio assets, audiences will experience the Rugby World Cups like never before.
Coverage kicks off with Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England (22 August – 27 September 2025 UK time). Wallaroos matches will air live on the 9Network and 9Now, with all 32 tournament games available live and on-demand on Stan Sport.
Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 then returns to Australian shores with the biggest sporting moment of the year delivering fans a six-week, nationwide celebration of rugby. Nine will be at the heart of the action, broadcasting games from the early rounds right through to the finals, including all Wallabies and Wallaroos games, live and free on the 9Network and 9Now.
For the ultimate rugby experience, Stan Sport will stream all 52 matches live with replays, mini matches and highlights available on demand. With an expanded 24-team format, this Rugby World Cup promises to be an unmissable event for the entire country.
Australia will also host the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 for the very first time the tournament comes to our shores. 9Network will air at least half of all matches, including all Wallaroos games, with the entire tournament available to stream on Stan Sport.
The deal also includes major international competitions from 2025 to 2029, including:
- World Rugby U20 Championship (2025, Italy)
- Pacific Nations Cup (2025, USA)
- WXV Tournaments (from 2026)
- HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series (2025–2029)
This agreement builds on the acclaimed coverage on Stan Sport, the 9Network and 9Now of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) and Men’s Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, and cements Nine’s position as the home of the biggest and most iconic sporting events in Australia.
Nine Chair, Catherine West , said: “Securing the rights to these global events is a testament to Nine’s long-term strategy and deep commitment to delivering value for audiences, partners and shareholders. Major sporting bodies know they can trust Nine to bring an exceptional experience for fans that builds interest not just in the event but also engagement in their sport. Rugby is living proof of that value Nine brings.”
Matt Stanton, Nine CEO , said: “The Rugby World Cup agreement reinforces the power of Nine. Whether it’s streaming on 9Now or Stan Sport, watching at home on 9 Network, listening on radio or getting the analysis across our publishing mastheads, Nine can bring the game to Australian audiences like no other media company can. It not just cements Nine as the home of rugby, it strengthens our position as the place for iconic national and international sport with an unmatched ability to reach audiences across any and every platform.
“It’s not just the fans that benefit from this partnership with World Rugby, our sponsors and advertisers know they can trust Nine to elevate their brands and engage with audiences in a meaningful and impactful way that adds to the experience for our audiences.”
World Rugby Chair, Brett Robison said: “This landmark partnership is all about reigniting the love of rugby down under. With Nine unmatched reach, expert analysis, and comprehensive coverage across its broadcast and digital platforms, we are ensuring rugby is accessible to a wide audience and offering a unique and immersive destination for fans in the country.”
World Rugby CEO, Alan Gilpin added: “World Rugby and Nine are uniting to deliver unprecedented visibility for the sport and its stars in Australia, ensuring the next generation of rugby fans is inspired by the action both on and off the field. As we enter a golden decade for the sport in Australia, we are excited to continue our fruitful relationship with Nine all the way to two era-defining Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029.”
From Stan:
The Sevens World Cup has been abolished with Rugby Sevens being at the Olympics and the annual Sevens Competition
SVNS World Series (or Sevens) is on life support and would probably be dead without the Olympics
The Women’s World Cup is airing later this year, with all Wallaroos matches airing on Nine. No mention of what other games will be shown on FTA. As Stan Sport will be showing all matches.
The Men’s 2027 World Cup will be played in Australia - and should deliver some good ratings for Nine.
The 2029 Women’s World Cup is also to be held in Australia. Will that deliver some big ratings for Nine (like the Matildas matches did for Seven in recent years)?
Nowhere close. People hardly care for the men’s rugby team right now, let alone the women’s.
Fair point. And rightly so.
Just trying be optimistic. lol.
To be honest, I’d be far more concerned with DAZN’s financial losses, legal situation, and broader strategy regarding Fox Sports content—particularly in terms of not just acquiring rights contracts but also their ability to fund them.
Let’s not forget that Nine was seriously in the running to acquire Foxtel. Had they succeeded, all three of those contracts—NRL, AFL, and Cricket—would likely have become cornerstone elements of Nine and Stan’s sports portfolio.
The Saudi cash they’ve got will make their pockets relatively deep.
They were - but it didn’t happen. And it would have been an interesting competition regulation call.
Unlike the women’s footballers, the women’s 15s rugby team is quite poor but it may change in the next four years.
