IHG Hotels & Resorts announced on 22 September that it has been named Official Hotel Partner of the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup. The agreement, struck with World Rugby, strengthens the British hotel group’s presence at one of the world’s biggest sporting events and opens new commercial opportunities for its hotels and owners.
The largest edition of the tournament to date
Held in Australia from 1 October to 13 November 2027, this edition will bring together 24 teams for 52 matches across seven host cities. It will be the largest edition of the tournament ever staged, a format designed to accommodate an unprecedented volume of supporters, officials and delegations across the country.
As Official Hotel Partner, IHG will play a central role in hosting teams, officials and fans, drawing on its hotel network, hospitality expertise and its IHG One Rewards loyalty platform.
A long-standing commitment to rugby
The partnership continues more than two decades of the group’s involvement with world rugby, through collaborations with Rugby Australia, SANZAAR, Six Nations Rugby and the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, sponsored by Qatar Airways. IHG had already established a presence in this space at previous editions of the tournament, notably through the hotel partnership built around the Rugby World Cup France 2023, then led by Accor through its ResaEvents platform.
Kenneth Macpherson, Chief Executive Officer, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said the group’s partnerships are designed first and foremost to generate commercial value for hotels and owners, while creating opportunities for guest satisfaction. He noted that the tournament would generate significant accommodation demand in the Australian market, while giving IHG a global platform to build brand awareness among millions of rugby fans.
IHG One Rewards, a central lever of the deal
Macpherson stressed the international dimension of the initiative: the partnership is intended to engage IHG One Rewards members across the group’s key global markets, before, during and after the tournament. With more than 160 million members, IHG has a significant loyalty lever, one he believes is capable of strengthening brand consideration and demand across the network, well beyond the sporting context alone.
This approach forms part of a wider group strategy that recently passed the symbolic milestone of one million operational rooms worldwide, underpinned by a strong development pipeline in high-growth markets.
World Rugby banks on the fan experience
For World Rugby, Michel Poussau, Chief Revenue Officer, described this edition as a celebration on the scale expected of the tournament, with supporters travelling from around the world to attend. IHG’s arrival as Official Hotel Partner, he said, would help deliver that experience at the standard expected of an event of this magnitude.
Michel Poussau spoke of supporting fans throughout their journey, from the earliest stages of travel planning through to the arrival of the 24 teams, match officials and guests in Australia. The stated aim is to create memorable moments throughout the tournament, from hotels to host cities, stadiums and Fan Festivals.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
IHG Hotels & Resorts named Official Hotel Partner of Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027
Partnership announced jointly with World Rugby on 22 September 2026
Tournament held in Australia, 1 October – 13 November 2027, across 7 Host Cities
Largest edition to date: 24 teams, 52 matches
Builds on 20+ years of IHG rugby partnerships (Rugby Australia, SANZAAR, Six Nations, British & Irish Lions Tour 2025)
Leverages IHG One Rewards’ 160M+ global members for fan engagement
