Nations Championship loses title sponsor on eve of inaugural London climax

Qatar Airways has withdrawn as title sponsor of the Nations Championship and cancelled its agreement to host the 2028 finals in Qatar, leaving the inaugural competition’s London climax without a sponsor. The decision is a reported £15m blow to rugby and raises questions over future hosting plans and funding for the sport.

The 2028 finals had been pencilled in for the United States, with Doha due to host again in 2032; the article says each Qatar-hosted edition could have brought the top 10 nations a collective £80m. The London event is a three-day festival featuring six matches, with about 70 per cent of tickets sold despite fixtures being confirmed only a week beforehand. Thousands of tickets remain for Wales’ games against Japan, New Zealand and Australia, potentially costing the Welsh Rugby Union millions in revenue.