Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)

http://www.irishrugby.ie
https://www.linkedin.com/company/irish-rugby-football-union/

Irish Rugby Football Union, also known as IRFU, is a privately owned entity headquartered in Ireland. Founded in 1879, it employs approximately 320 individuals and reported $110.8M in revenue as of 2025. The organization also functions as a tier 2 media tech buyer. The company's main product area is Spectator Sports, and it serves as the governing body for rugby union on the island of Ireland.

2025 Revenue

Founded

1879

Headcount

348

Headquarters

Ireland

Primary Segment

Spectator Sports

Ownership

Privately Owned

News Summary:

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) outlined plans on September 20, 2026, for a hotel and residential complex adjacent to Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The project, known as Lansdowne Quarter, involves developing a 257-room hotel, 77 apartments, and spaces for food, beverage, and conferences, with the IRFU seeking a partner to finance, design, and deliver the project under a long-term ground lease. This followed an announcement on September 15, 2026, that Dublin Airport became an official sponsor of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Team. The partnership with DAA and the IRFU includes practical travel support and promotional activity to enhance the visibility of players and women's rugby. Previously, on September 9, 2026, the IRFU invited proposals for a joint venture to develop the €150 million hotel and apartment complex near Aviva Stadium, aiming to leverage stadium visitor traffic and local business demand. Earlier, on August 26, 2026, Munster Rugby's Chief Operating Officer Philip Quinn attributed the province’s financial difficulties partly to its inability to produce players meriting IRFU central contracts, prompting cost-cutting measures to safeguard investment in player pathway programs.

Similar Companies

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Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) offers 3 products in the sports industry. Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s product portfolio comprises of sports tickets, merchandise and sponsorship and contact sports.

Subscribe for full access to Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s products in full detail

Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s revenues were less than $250M in 2025. Caretta Research has split Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s revenue into 3 different product categories, the largest of which is rugby Union. For full access to Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s revenue breakdown subscribe to Caretta Portal.

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Oct

7th

2026

06:30

Management Changes, B2B Tag, Management Changes

Munster appoint New Zealander Avan Lee as interim CEO

Munster and the IRFU have appointed New Zealander Avan Lee as the province’s interim chief executive officer, the organisations announced on Wednesday in a joint statement.

Breakingnews.ie

Oct

7th

2026

06:30

Management Changes, B2B Tag, Management Changes

Breaking: Munster appoint New Zealander Avan Lee as interim CEO

Munster and the IRFU have appointed New Zealander Avan Lee as the province’s interim chief executive officer, the organisations announced on Wednesday in a joint statement. Former Hurricanes chief executive Lee will take the reins towards the end of this month on a one-year deal when current CEO Ian Flanagan steps down after seven years at Munster Rugby.

Irish Examiner

Sep

20th

2026

06:30

B2B Tag

Ireland: Hotel and residential complex planned next to Aviva Stadium

20.09.2026 19:53 source: StadiumDB.com ; author: Paulina Skóra A new hotel and residential complex could be built next to Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The IRFU is seeking a partner to finance, design and deliver Lansdowne Quarter under a long-term ground lease, with plans for a 257-room hotel, 77 apartments, and food, beverage and conference spaces.

StadiumDB

Sep

15th

2026

01:34

Partnerships and Alliances, B2B Tag, Marketing and Promotional Activities, Partnerships

Dublin Airport Partners with Ireland Women’s Rugby Team

Dublin Airport has become an official sponsor of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Team in a new partnership between DAA and the IRFU that will combine practical travel support with a significant programme of promotional activity. The agreement will see Dublin Airport support the team as it travels to represent Ireland internationally, while also using the airport’s considerable passenger reach, digital channels and physical estate to increase the visibility of the players and women’s rugby.

Sport for Business

Sep

9th

2026

06:30

Business Closure, B2B Tag, Business Closure, Regulatory Compliance

Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland shutters bond desk and IRFU plots Aviva Stadium hotel

It wasn’t that long ago that Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland was the only local firm that was a primary dealer in Irish government bonds. But now it is closing its bond desk , Joe Brennan reports, in a notable move for the Irish financial services sector.

The Irish Times

Sep

9th

2026

04:46

B2B Tag

IRFU Seeks Developer for €150 Million Hotel and Residential Complex Near Aviva Stadium

The Irish Rugby Football Union is inviting proposals for a joint venture to develop a €150 million hotel and apartments complex adjacent to the Aviva Stadium on Dublin's Lansdowne Road. The scheme is intended to capitalize on the stadium's visitor traffic and local business demand.

Head Topics Ireland

Aug

26th

2026

19:57

Financial Results, Cost Cutting, B2B Tag, Cost Cutting, Financial Performance

Munster COO explains how lack of central contracts is hurting province financially

Munster Rugby’s inability to produce players worthy of IRFU central contract players has been pinpointed as one of the main reasons for the province’s financial hardship. Munster’s Chief Operating Officer Philip Quinn told the Irish Examiner that the ongoing cost-cutting programme, which has included a small-scale round of non-rugby staff redundancies, was undertaken to protect investment in the organisation’s player pathway programmes.

Irish Examiner

Aug

20th

2026

05:51

Partnerships and Alliances, B2B Tag, Marketing and Promotional Activities, Partnerships

Vodafone Steps Up to Become Main Sponsor of Ireland Women’s Rugby Team

Vodafone Ireland has deepened its relationship with Irish Rugby by becoming Main Sponsor of the Ireland Women’s Team, with its branding moving to the front of the national jersey for the first time. The agreement began in July and will run through to 2028, extending a partnership with the IRFU that has steadily developed across both the men’s and women’s games over the past decade.

Sport for Business

Aug

14th

2026

06:30

Partnerships and Alliances, B2B Tag, Marketing and Promotional Activities, Partnerships

Vodafone Ireland Becomes Main Sponsor of Ireland Women’s Rugby Team

Vodafone Ireland has been announced as the new main sponsor of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Team in an agreement that will see the company’s branding appear on the front of the team’s jersey for the first time.

AdWorld

Aug

11th

2026

07:10

Partnerships and Alliances, B2B Tag, Marketing and Promotional Activities, Partnerships

Vodafone becomes main shirt sponsor of Ireland women's rugby team

Vodafone is set to become the main sponsor of the Ireland women's rugby team after expanding its decade-long partnership with the IRFU. The telecommunications group has been the main shirt sponsor for men's team since 2016 and will now feature on the front of the women's team's shirts for the first time.

Business Plus

Jul

31st

2026

02:56

ESG, B2B Tag, Marketing and Promotional Activities

IRFU Turns to Property, Data and Digital as Revenue Strategy Evolves

The IRFU is looking to property development at Lansdowne Road and new income from data and digital to strengthen the long-term financial foundations of Irish rugby. The direction is set out in the Union’s 2025/26 Annual Report, which presents a picture of strong demand for international rugby, an expanding sponsorship portfolio and growing broadcast audiences, but also acknowledges the increasing cost of maintaining six professional teams while investing further in women’s and grassroots rugby.

Sport for Business

Jul

8th

2026

01:00

B2B Tag

IRFU may get more involved in coaching recruitment after Munster’s Randle controversy

The Irish Rugby Football Union could become more involved in the recruitment of positions within the wider coaching set up following Munster’s controversial botched appointment of Roger Randle . The former All Blacks winger was announced in mid-May to be linking up with his old boss at the Chiefs, Clayton McMillan, at Munster on a two-year deal as a replacement for Mike Prendergast.

Irish Examiner

Examples of Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s suppliers include Blinkfire, STATSports and Ericsson.

Example Suppliers

Subscribe for full access to Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s profile

Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) sells broadcasting rights of its rugby Union competitions to 7 companies globally, covering 3 countries. Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)'s rights holders include BBC.