SA Rugby reported a sharp rise in commercial income for the year, with gross sponsorship revenue climbing to R739 million, a 51% increase on the R488 million recorded the previous year, according to a recent report.
Commercial reorganisation pays off
The union’s overall group revenue exceeded R2 billion in 2025, up 33% from R1.5 billion the year before. For the first time in the professional era, sponsorship income overtook broadcasting receipts, with broadcast revenue at R678 million.
Central to the uplift was a changed approach to commercial rights: instead of selling partnerships tied only to the men’s national team, the union introduced bundled packages that package the Springboks brand with the wider rugby system — including the women’s national team, the Junior Boks and the sevens programme. The new model was implemented alongside a review of commercial rights and the appointment of an international agency to manage those rights.
Match, merchandise and staging income
Home Test matches generated R402 million in match revenue, with direct staging costs of R213 million. Merchandise royalties rose to R78 million, partly driven by specialist retail outlets and a one-off payment of about R20 million tied to a share of direct profit from the technical partner Nike.
Those streams — sponsorship, broadcast, match and merchandise — combined to underpin the union’s stronger financial position and provide greater funding certainty across the national rugby pathway.
| Revenue item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross sponsorship | R739 million |
| Broadcasting | R678 million |
| Group revenue (2025) | R2 billion+ |
| Match revenue | R402 million |
| Direct match costs | R213 million |
| Merchandise royalties | R78 million |
Commercial consequences and failed sale
The report links the fresh sponsorship growth to the union’s revised commercial model and the new agency arrangement. The shift broadened the value proposition for prospective partners by offering exposure across men’s, women’s and age-grade rugby rather than restricting rights to the Springboks alone.
The change in strategy followed the collapse of a proposed sale of a 20% commercial stake in SA Rugby to a US investment group for $75 million; the deal did not receive the necessary support from union members, the report said.
New partners and event notes
Several corporate deals have been announced under the new model. Airline Airlink signed on as a premium-category sponsor for the 2026 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour, while supermarket chain Pick n Pay agreed a four-year top-tier sponsorship contract.
“Safety is the priority, and Airlink did not want to distract attention from the Test matches between South Africa and New Zealand,”
said Airlink chief executive De Villiers Engelbrecht, explaining why the carrier withdrew an application for an aircraft to fly in formation over FNB Stadium because of an unfavourable weather forecast.
- Bundled sponsorship now covers national men’s, women’s and age-group teams.
- Match staging remains costly — direct costs were R213m against R402m in revenue.
- Merchandise and partner structures (including profit-share arrangements) contributed materially to growth.
The commercial uplift has clear implications for the game at all levels. More predictable income can fund elite preparations and also be channelled into development structures that feed the professional ranks. How the union balances investment between immediate high-performance needs and long-term grassroots growth will be watched closely by provinces, clubs and community programmes benefiting from central distribution.
For supporters, broadcasters and sponsors, the change signals a more packaged, marketable South African rugby product — one that seeks to protect the Springboks’ value while lifting the profile and funding of the wider game.
