Irish Rugby Football Union Estimates Women's Rugby World Cup To Cost €4M

The Irish Rugby Football Union will spend €1.5M ($1.7M) to "deliver the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland in August," bringing total spend on women’s representative rugby to over €3.6M ($4.1M), according to John O'Sullivan of the IRISH TIMES. The union "will be hoping" that it is a precursor for winning the rights to host the '23 men’s equivalent, a decision that will be announced in November. The total cost of the Women’s Rugby World Cup is "expected to come in just over" €4M ($4.6M), with supplementary funding being provided by World Rugby, the Irish government and council funding, partnerships, ticket revenues and sponsorship. In addition to the €1.5M invested in WRWC17, funding to the women’s program increased by 25% this season from over €1.7M ($2M) to in excess of €2.1M ($2.4M). A further 25% increase in funding for the women’s program has been budgeted for the '17-18 season (IRISH TIMES, 7/14).