The 2025 Men’s Rugby Europe Championship (REC) is set to make history with its most extensive media coverage to date. This year’s competition will be accessible on linear television across all eight participating nations, ensuring that fans can follow the action live like never before. Additionally, global audiences will also have the opportunity to tune in through international broadcast partners.
Expanded Broadcast Partnerships
For the first time, rugby fans in Belgium and Switzerland will be able to enjoy the REC on national television. Swiss broadcaster SSR, through its RTS 2 channel and SRI digital platforms, will cover the Edelweiss’ matches for both the 2025 and 2026 editions. Meanwhile, Belgium’s VRT and LN24 will provide extensive coverage of the Black Devils’ campaign, marking another milestone for rugby in the region.
Romanian fans will witness the return of the REC to national broadcaster TVR, ensuring that all of the Oaks’ matches are available on TVR1 and TVR Sport. In Spain, RTVE will feature the Leones’ journey across multiple platforms, including its sports channel Teledeporte and digital platform RTVE Play.
The Netherlands and Portugal will continue their partnerships with Liberty (Ziggo) and Sport TV, respectively, delivering uninterrupted coverage of the Oranje and Lobos’ matches. Meanwhile, reigning champions Georgia will once again have their games broadcast by Imedi and RugbyTV.
Germany’s ProSieben group will offer comprehensive coverage of the competition, streaming all 20 matches. The “Schwarze Adler” (Black Eagles) games will be aired on ProSieben Maxx, while the remaining fixtures will be accessible via digital platforms Joyn and Ran.de.
Beyond Europe: A Global Audience
In a testament to the competition’s growing appeal, Rugby Europe has renewed its partnership with FloRugby, allowing North American fans from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to watch every match live with English commentary. Additionally, for audiences in other regions, every game will be available live and free on Rugby Europe TV, further expanding the reach of the tournament.
A Historic Tournament with World Cup Stakes
The 2025 REC, kicking off on January 31st, will feature eight teams battling for the championship title over a thrilling seven-week period. However, this year’s edition carries even greater significance, as four teams will secure direct qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. This added dimension has intensified interest in the competition, with national teams striving to secure their place on the world stage.
Swiss rugby enters uncharted territory as the national team makes its REC debut after a flawless 2023/2024 Trophy season. With the possibility of clinching one of the coveted World Cup spots, Swiss fans will be eagerly following their team’s progress.
Similarly, Belgium will aim to build on last season’s sensational victory over Portugal, with fans now able to watch their national side on television for the first time. The anticipation is equally high across all competing nations, as each team fights for glory and qualification.
Growing Popularity and the Future of REC
Janhein Pieterse, President of Rugby Europe, expressed pride in the tournament’s increasing media presence: “We are proud to see media interest growing around the Rugby Europe Championship. Since the change of format and the constant improvement of the TV product, we have managed to attract new and retain numerous long-standing partners, who are essential for the promotion of our competition, our teams, and our sport in general. I wish all the teams taking part the best of luck as they bid to reach the pinnacle of our sport – rest assured, we’re in for plenty of drama over the coming weeks!”
Florent Marty, CEO of Rugby Europe, emphasized the impact of the competition’s broadcasting model: “This unprecedented TV coverage is a strong sign of the ever-growing popularity of the Rugby Europe Championship. The centralized TV rights model put in place in 2023 is showing increased returns for the footprint of the competition in new markets. Alongside our digital content creation efforts, Rugby Europe Championship will offer fans from around the world an unprecedented access to games and players.”
As the Rugby Europe Championship reaches new audiences and cements its reputation as a major international tournament, 2025 promises to be a defining year for European rugby. With thrilling matches ahead and historic moments awaiting, fans can look forward to an unforgettable competition
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First published in this link of The European Times.
