By Benjamin Wickham
LILLE, France, Oct. 6 – Rugby World Cup organizers are celebrating the resounding success of the tournament in France, with nearly 50,000 fans in attendance at last week’s Uruguay vs. Namibia match, and domestic viewership records being shattered.
A noteworthy crowd of 49,332, predominantly French neutrals, gathered for the Pool A “Clash of the Minnows” in Lyon last Wednesday, witnessing an exciting 36-24 victory for the South American team.
Jacques Rivoal, President of France 2023, expressed his delight during a Zoom press conference on Wednesday, saying, “Something that grabbed my attention was the 49,332 spectators who watched Uruguay vs. Namibia match, not on a weekend, and I think we need to underscore this. We have never had such a crowd for a match between emerging nations in a World Cup. For comparison, it is four times larger than the Georgia vs. Namibia match in the 2015 World Cup and matches the attendance for the quarter-finals four years ago. So it’s truly a historic record for rugby that we can really be proud of.”
Rivoal added that ticket sales and TV viewership in France had exceeded their pre-tournament expectations.
Michel Poussau, RWC 2023 tournament director, noted the younger and more diverse audience engagement, which is positive for the growth of the sport. He stated, “In France, we have reached an audience of more than 128 million, which is already as much as the entirety of Rugby World Cup 2015 in England and more than for 2019 in Japan – still with only 32 games played. The highest audience last weekend was the game in Lyon between New Zealand and Italy with 5.3 million viewers. That is 30 per cent more than the Champions League final in 2023.”
The tournament has seen over 1.5 million attendees in stadiums and close to a million visitors in rugby villages.
As the competition enters its final round of pool matches this weekend, Rivoal congratulated teams not progressing but commended their efforts. He mentioned Namibia, Chile, and Portugal for their memorable performances, highlighting the spirit of unity among opponents.
Organizers also highlighted the International Wheelchair Rugby Cup taking place from Oct 18-22, held alongside the Rugby World Cup. France is the defending champion in this eight-team event, which, due to rights issues, cannot use the RWC name. Played indoors on a basketball court, this intense sport, formerly known as “Murderball,” promises great entertainment, with organizers hoping for cumulative attendance of up to 30,000 spectators in Paris.
Overall, the Rugby World Cup in France has been a triumph, characterized by large crowds, record-breaking TV ratings, and a diverse and engaged audience. The world eagerly anticipates how the tournament will continue to unfold in the coming weeks.
