Commercial Backing Driving Ireland at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
As Ireland prepares to line out at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, their chances on the pitch will be shaped not just by preparation and performance, but by the strength of the commercial partnerships underpinning their campaign.
In recent years, the IRFU has built a broad and diverse sponsorship portfolio for the women’s game. At this World Cup, the activations of main partners will elevate the tournament and the sport as well as the brands themselves, as we outline below in this special Sport for Business feature.
Vodafone: Broadcast Equity and Digital Reach
Vodafone Ireland’s role as official broadcast sponsor of RTÉ’s coverage places the brand at the heart of the national conversation around the tournament.
RTÉ’s average live rugby audience in recent tournaments has ranged between 200,000 and 300,000 viewers per match, with marquee fixtures hitting 400,000. Across the group stages and knockout games, Vodafone’s branding could achieve over 2 million cumulative gross impressions on television alone. If the tournament takes off, that could be a conservative number.
On digital platforms, RTÉ Player has consistently delivered audiences in the 80,000–100,000 range per key fixture, providing further reach.
Add to that Vodafone’s own “Join the Green Wave” campaign, amplified through social and retail channels, and the total exposure is conservatively valued at €1.5–2 million in media equivalency.
From a performance angle, Vodafone’s 5G-enabled technology in the Ireland camp provides unique credibility ROI—it is not just sponsoring the game, but helping to improve the team’s performance as well.
Energia: A Standout Supporter
Energia has stepped forward with a dedicated campaigns backing the women’s side. Their investment in storytelling around the players aligns with the brand’s position as an innovative and community-focused energy provider.
In return, Energia will gain exposure across broadcast, digital, and in-stadium branding, plus the reputational value of being seen as one of the most active supporters of women’s rugby in Ireland.
It is taking poster space adjacent to Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton and the Amex Stadium in Brighton where ireland will play the group games and be very visible for players and fans alike.
Energia and the Indo Sport podcast hosted a Send-Off event for the Irish Women’s team last week in The Round Room at the Mansion House.
Energia Ambassadors Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan were joined on stage by Co-Captains Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon to talk to Joe Molloy about comebacks from injury, and their dreams for the coming weeks.
The long-tail return is in brand affinity: a Nielsen study in 2023 found that 62% of consumers were more likely to purchase from brands supporting women’s sport, an uplift that will resonate in Energia’s highly competitive retail market.
Canterbury: Merchandising and Emotion
The launch of the official kit via Canterbury’s “Ireland’s Calling” campaign has already delivered a measurable impact. Replica jersey sales for Ireland’s men’s team routinely exceed 50,000 units in a World Cup year; women’s sales are expected to reach 8,000–10,000 units this autumn, generating close to €600,000 in retail revenue at an average price point of €60.
Beyond direct sales, the 12-metre touring jersey activation reached thousands of fans in clubs and Intersport Elverys stores nationwide, while digital competitions are projected to add 1–2 million social impressions. The campaign blends commercial uplift with emotional resonance, making Canterbury’s investment one of the most effective of this cycle.
Aon: The Anchor Partner
As principal partner of Irish Rugby, Aon plays the role of anchor investor. The value of this partnership, believed to be in the region of €1.5–2 million annually across men’s and women’s rugby, provides the financial stability to sustain equal preparation for the women’s team.
For Aon, the return is in long-term association with resilience, leadership, and trust—core business attributes reinforced every time Ireland take the field with the Aon logo on their jersey.
It added specific backing to the top-class Squad Announcement content produced by 53Six and covered on Sport for Business.
Bank of Ireland Out of Home
Bank of Ireland are rolling out an OOH campaign over the coming days which we will cover in more detail through the tournament.
Aldi’s Chief Luck Officer
ALDI’s well-known character Katie the Carrot was unveiled yesterday as the Irish women’s rugby team’s Chief Luck Officer (C.L.O.) ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
The digitally led campaign centres on a video content series produced with The Coop, blending humour and national pride to engage fans and highlight ALDI’s ongoing partnership with the IRFU.
The activation features ALDI brand ambassadors and Ireland internationals Linda Djougang and Béibhinn Parsons, alongside former Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan, as they prepare to support the team both on and off the pitch.
Around these headline activations, the Irish women’s programme is supported by a family of commercial partners with Goodfella’s Pizza running TV ad campaigns through the tournament and Opel also promoting with posters in the domestic market though restricted in England by Defenders’ tournament sponsorship.
Add in the individual endorsements such as those between Beibhinn Parsons with Aldi, Brittany Hogan with Energia, supported by their agency Wasserman, as well as the clear and evident support of the IRFU team that helped the team to create and amplify the Green Wave message, and it is clear that Irish Women’s Rugby has never been in a better commercial space
Global Partners with Local Relevance
Yesterday we looked in detail at the Global partnerships that have tripled commercial revenue for World Rugby since the last event in 2021.
Allianz, Mastercard, Defender, and Asahi are among those brands leading the way.
Mastercard has activated its “Priceless” campaign with hospitality packages that include Ireland fixtures, linking Irish fans to the global brand story.
Allianz, through its “Road to Allianz Stadium” campaign, has seeded wellness and participation content with Irish schools in partnership with the IRFU’s community programme.
Asahi and Defender are expected to engage Irish fans through fan village activations and co-branded digital content once the tournament is underway this evening.
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