NENT Group Acquires Rights to Rugby World Cup 2019

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has secured the exclusive Nordic media rights to Rugby World Cup 2019.

Per the deal, NENT Group’s Viaplay platform will stream live for rugby union fans across the Nordic region every match from this year’s World Cup. The tournament, which will feature 20 teams, is taking place in Japan from September 20 to November 2. The teams from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland all took part in qualifying matches for Rugby World Cup 2019.

In addition to the World Cup, NENT Group also holds the exclusive Nordic media rights to the Six Nations Championship up to and including the 2021 tournament. The annual rugby union event is played between England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Kim Mikkelsen, NENT Group’s head of sport, said: “Rugby union continues to grow around the world—Japan is set to host Asia’s first-ever Rugby World Cup and in the Nordic region the game is captivating more and more fans. Our coverage of the previous Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations has found an enthusiastic audience on Viaplay, and now NENT Group is showing all 48 games from Rugby World Cup 2019 live. Yet again we’re proving that, when it comes to the world’s best live sports, Viaplay is the only place to stream.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont added: “Rugby in the Nordic region has seen a marked uplift in fan and participation numbers in recent years. As the region’s leading streaming company, NENT Group will enable more people than ever before to engage with the tournament, reinforcing our belief that Rugby World Cup 2019 will be the most-viewed and most-engaged rugby event of all time.”