Major League Rugby Extends ESPN Broadcast Partnership Through 2027 Season

North America’s premier rugby competition has secured a media extension, announcing that its broadcast and streaming partnership with ESPN has been officially prolonged through the 2027 Major League Rugby season.

Coming roughly six months before the league’s ninth season kicks off, the agreement reinforces broadcaster and fan confidence in American rugby as the nation prepares to host a series of international showcases, including the 2028 Olympic rugby sevens and the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033.

Under the terms of the one-season extension, ESPN will continue to make all league matches accessible across its diverse broadcast networks and digital platforms.

In addition, five fixtures will be broadcast live on ESPN’s linear channels, while the network retains exclusive streaming rights to Sunday Night Rugby. The flagship broadcast property, which features pre- and post-match studio analysis led by current and former players, will continue airing in primetime exclusively on the ESPN App following strong audience reception during its inaugural season.

Comscore data highlights the momentum driving the partnership, revealing a twenty-five per cent year-over-year viewership increase for matches broadcast on ESPN2 and a thirty-five per cent surge across streamed fixtures, alongside exponential engagement on social media channels.

Commenting on the value of the ongoing media broadcasting collaboration, senior director of ESPN programming and acquisitions, John Suchenski, said: “We look forward to building on our longstanding relationship with Major League Rugby and supporting its efforts to expand rugby’s reach across the U.S. through ESPN’s networks and platforms.”

“Sports fans have responded to Major League Rugby in a positive way the past few years, particularly to the Sunday Night Rugby franchise we introduced last year, and we will continue to serve and grow the rugby fanbase as the country prepares to host the Rugby World Cup in 2031,” Suchenski said.

Highlighting the importance of securing prime television slots for the organisation, MLR co-president, Alexander Magleby, added:  “Securing prime viewing windows remains essential for establishing the competition as the premier contact sport of the spring and early summer.”

“Magleby noted the necessity of visibility, stating, “Relevance and reach are really important for us right now and ESPN is helping people fall in love with rugby,” he said.

While the competition currently operates with five teams following structural consolidation, ongoing investor interest and upcoming international tournaments are expected to fuel steady expansion, with officials targeting a return to a twelve-city operational footprint ahead of the 2031 Rugby World Cup.

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