Rugby India, the national rugby governing body, in association with GMR Sports, have unveiled the Rugby Premier League (RPL), the world’s first franchise-based Rugby 7s league.
The tournament will be held in Mumbai at the Andheri Sports Complex (Mumbai Football Arena, MFA) from June 1 to June 15, 2025.
Notably, the RPL has earned a slot on the global Rugby 7s calendar, showcasing the world’s best Rugby 7s players alongside India’s best rugby talent. Additionally, the tournament, which will run over 15 days and feature 34 enthralling matchups, will be televised live on Star Sports and JioHotstar.
Six city-based franchises—the Bangalore Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and Mumbai Dreamers—will represent major Indian cities. Moreover, the RPL will feature 30 top international players from Rugby 7s powerhouses like Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Fiji, the United States, and Ireland, with additional representation from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany.
Importantly, the league will also include 30 Indian players chosen from an auction pool of 71, giving them a historic opportunity to compete against world giants.
Mr Satyam Trivedi, CEO, GMR Sports, said, “The Rugby Premier League marks a pivotal moment in our mission to elevate rugby in India. By showcasing a vibrant mix of international and Indian talent, and with the unwavering support of our franchise owners, this league is poised to redefine the future of the sport. We believe that the RPL will not only captivate a wider audience but also provide Indian players with invaluable opportunities to compete alongside the world’s best, thereby raising the standard of rugby in our country. As rugby continues to grow as an Olympic sport, GMR Group is excited to contribute to its holistic development in India.”
Mr Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, commented, “This is a league that’s been six years in the making, but we wanted to do everything right. The first extraordinary development came thanks to World Rugby, who gave us a 15-day window in which no international rugby 7s would be played anywhere in the world. This made the best global rugby players available to us.
“From there to partnering with GMR Sports and creating the best conditions for both the international players as well as our Indian players; choosing some of the most intelligent, committed team owners and getting a top-class broadcast partner in JioStar, it’s been a helluva ride. Rugby 7s is one of the most attractive television sports in modern history. Welcome, India and the world, to the Rugby Premier League.”
Sanjog Gupta, CEO-Sports, JioStar, said, “At JioStar, we are revolutionizing the universe of sports entertainment by delivering compelling, fan-centric experiences. We are leveraging the combined power of Star Sports’s brand of story-telling, JioHotstar’s technological prowess, and the universality of our integrated platforms. Our diversified portfolio of sporting properties seeks to serve audiences at scale as well as niche segments of fans, which can grow to be significant. The Rugby Premier League in the fast-growing Rugby 7s format offers the opportunity to attract new audience segments and also offer existing audiences a compelling, new proposition to develop an affiliation for.”
