Emirates has a rich heritage in sport and an extensive portfolio of top-class rugby sponsorships, including the Johannesburg-based Emirates Lions.
As a proud connector of people and their passions, as well as being Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2019™, Emirates is utilising its global reach to bring rugby fans in South Africa closer to the game, which remains a strong source of pride in the country
Rugby World Cup screened live on Emirates flights.
In addition to providing a seamless travel experience for avid rugby supporters heading to host nation Japan for this year’s Rugby World Cup, Emirates is ensuring jet-setting fans don’t miss any of the action.
Starting Friday, 20 September, RWC 2019 matches will be screened live on Emirates’ dedicated in-flight sports channel, Sport 24, which is available on the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice. Emirates currently has 175 aircraft equipped with Live TV, including all Boeing 777 aircraft.
Economy Class passengers can enjoy matches on the aviation industry’s largest in-seat screens for its class, at 13.3 inches, while Emirates’ Business and First Class passengers watch the clashes on 23-inch and 32-inch screens respectively – again the industry’s biggest per class.
Passengers travelling in First and Business Class on select A380 aircraft, meanwhile, will also get to join other rugby enthusiasts in the iconic onboard lounge for 55-inch big screen action.
Outside of match time, with Emirates offering passengers 20MB of free Wi-Fi data on its aircraft, fans can stay up to date with tournament news and highlights.
Over 20 years of global rugby support
Emirates has been bringing people and cultures together through a shared love of rugby for more than 20 years. The airline’s longstanding association with World Rugby began at RWC 2007 in France, where Emirates was a Tournament Sponsor.
This same tournament saw South Africa become Rugby World Cup champions for a second time, beating England 15-6 in the Final.
In 2011, Emirates acted as official Worldwide Partner for RWC in New Zealand and followed this with a similar sponsorship in England in 2015. As the first signed Worldwide Partner for RWC 2019, Emirates has unveiled RWC 2019 livery on the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380, which is currently flying direct from Dubai to Osaka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita.
Over 1.8 million fans are expected to visit Japan for the six-week duration of World Rugby’s centrepiece tournament. Emirates is ensuring these sporting enthusiasts will receive world-class hospitality during their travels to match the warm welcome received in Japan’s proud host cities.
The search for a flag bearer for RWC continues
As part of the RWC 2019 festivities, Independent Media and Emirates are providing young fans around the world with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to act as a flag bearer in Japan, at Asia’s first-ever Rugby World Cup.
As part of the campaign, one South African boy or girl between the ages of 10 and 16, will be selected to travel to Japan with a guardian, and wave the national flag as they lead the team out onto the field for the pool match on 21 September, 2019.