Rugby World Cup 2023 Match Balls Available Worldwide via MatchWornShirt

With Rugby World Cup 2023 in full swing, MatchWornShirt will give fans a unique opportunity. Each of the tournament’s 48 matches will be accompanied by an online auction in which members of the public can place bids on the official match-used balls. The collaboration was facilitated by World Rugby’s global master licensee IMG.

These auctions will be provided by MatchWornShirt, an innovative fan-engagement platform which specializes in making exclusive and authentic sporting memorabilia accessible to collectors across the globe.  A selected number of the match balls will also be autographed by coaches, captains and match referees. Fans can bid on the official match-used balls here.

Head of Business Development at MatchWornShirt, James Flude said “This collaboration is extremely pivotal for us as we continue our commitment to innovate not only with the platform we have built, but also the products, sports and partners that we bring to it. Rugby World Cup is the pinnacle of sport – and we are delighted to be bringing the match balls from every game of the most iconic tournament in world rugby to our platform.”

Mickael Andreo, Vice President of Licensing, IMG, said, “Owning a match-used ball from the Rugby World Cup is like owning a piece of rugby history, and we are thrilled to facilitate that connection between the fans and the game they love. The one-of-a-kind initiative not only elevates the fan experience but also underscores the evergreen value of sports memorabilia. We are delighted to continue delivering such unique and innovative ways for fans to further engage with the Rugby World Cup.”

About Rugby World Cup France 2023

Rugby World Cup 2023 will take place in France from 8 September – 28 October with matches played in nine venues across 10 host cities. The tournament will be the 10th men’s Rugby World Cup and the second to be hosted by France after a memorable event in 2007.

RWC 2023 will take place in a year when the sport celebrates 200 years since Rugby School pupil William Webb Ellis was credited with inventing the game of rugby football by showing “a fine disregard for the rules” in catching the ball and running with it in 1823.

RWC 2023 will set new standards in social responsibility, inclusion and sustainability for a major rugby event, targeting four key pillars for the tournament’s legacy: acting for sustainability and circular economy, supporting education, training and employment, respecting and protecting the environment and promoting inclusivity by being a champion for gender egality.

The showpiece event in men’s 15s, Rugby World Cup 2023 will feature 20 teams – 12 of whom qualified directly by finishing in the top three in their pool at Japan 2019 and eight from a global qualification process – with 48 matches played across 51 days.

About MatchWornShirt

MatchWornShirt is a global fan engagement platform, that enables international rights holders, clubs, charities and foundations the chance to unlock and optimize their fundraising potential through the sale of match used items.

Headquarted in Amsterdam and with offices in London, Istanbul, Sao Paulo and Melbourne, MatchWornShirt have built a community of over 200 international rights holders and are committed to bring a gold standard of unique memorabilia to sports fans around the world, with all match-specific auctions going live at kick-off to maximize engagement. 

About IMG

IMG is a global sports and culture company. It is a leader in rights management, multi-channel content production and distribution, consultancy and fan engagement; owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of live events and experiences; and manages licensing programs for the world’s best-known brands and trademarks. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.