The fourth Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on 12 September, organisers confirmed, with the match carrying both series-deciding significance and notable commercial upside for South African Rugby.
Series context and commercial rationale
The Baltimore venue was selected primarily for its commercial potential and the ambition to expand rugby's footprint in the United States ahead of the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup. The game could determine the winner of the four-Test series, giving it meaningful sporting stakes as well as financial ones.
According to reporting cited in international outlets, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and New Zealand Rugby could each earn roughly R90 million more from staging the fixture in the United States than if it had been played in South Africa. The first three Tests in the series reportedly generated between R60 million and R80 million each.
| Match location | Estimated incremental revenue per union |
|---|---|
| United States (Baltimore) | ~R90 million |
| Home Tests (each of first three) | R60m–R80m |
Why Baltimore and what it means for SA Rugby
World Rugby has been encouraging fixtures in the US as part of a wider strategy to grow the game there ahead of 2031. The US push includes a planned investment of £200 million by World Rugby in collaboration with national unions. The Baltimore match is part of that effort: revenue for the US match includes a payment from World Rugby, and an Australian agency, TEG, secured the deal to stage the game.
SARU CEO Rian Oberholzer has previously emphasised the importance of introducing the Springboks to new audiences and entering new territories. The national team has played in the United States only twice since 2000, while the All Blacks have appeared there more frequently. Holding a marquee fixture in Baltimore gives South African rugby exposure to a largely untapped market, offers valuable audience data and provides a logistical test run ahead of the 2031 tournament.
- Sporting stakes: The Test could decide the four-match series between the world’s top teams.
- Commercial gain: Each union stands to gain significant additional revenue compared with staging the match at home.
- Strategic value: The fixture supports World Rugby’s US development plan and SARU’s aim to grow the Springboks’ global reach.
One of the four Tests had been earmarked from the start to be played at a neutral venue. Options such as London and Ireland were considered, but organisers identified the US as a market with more potential for new supporters rather than established expatriate fan bases for either nation.
For fans and administrators alike, the move illustrates how elite international rugby increasingly balances pure sporting considerations with broader commercial and strategic priorities. Staging Tests in growth markets can boost revenues and brand reach, but it also adds travel and scheduling complexity for players and coaches in an already crowded international calendar.
With Baltimore among 27 cities vying to host 2031 World Cup matches, the Test provides a live trial of interest, ticketing, broadcast appetite and stadium operations in an American setting. For South African rugby, the encounter is a bet on future growth: a chance to convert curiosity into committed supporters and to secure financial returns that can be reinvested into the game at home.
The series remains finely balanced and the Baltimore Test now carries the twin weight of deciding a storied rivalry while helping shape the sport’s path into a lucrative new market.
