IGR International Gay Rugby has today launched the official bid process to find the host of the 20th anniversary Union Cup in 2025.
The Union Cup, IGR’s official tournament for Europe, was first held in Montpellier, France in May 2005, when just 8 teams from across the continent came together for a weekend of 7s Rugby.
Since then, the Union Cup has evolved massively. It has been held biennially, hosted by Copenhagen (2007), London (2009), Amsterdam (2011), Bristol (2013), Brussels (2015), Madrid (2017) and most recently by Dublin in 2019 where some 45 teams joined an epic weekend of XVs Rugby at Dublin City University.
The Commonwealth Games 2022 host city of Birmingham will host the next event this May. The Birmingham Bulls were awarded the 2021 tournament back in 2019 and have worked tirelessly to bring the Union Cup to life, despite the numerous global and national challenges that have rocked their progress, for which they should be heartily commended. Union Cup 2023 will take place from 27-30 April 2023 and registration is open now at www.unioncuprugby.com.
IGR’s Union Cup Chief Tournament Officer for 2023/2025, Neil Pyper-Hobson said “The Union Cup is a truly special event. Having attended the very first event in Montpellier back in 2005, I have witnessed the growth of this beloved tournament which has been phenomenal, and those who have been a part of our community over those many years will confirm that the Union Cup is an amazing event.
I volunteered to help with the continuation of the Union Cup as it has a very special place in my heart, and I will be leading the bid process as we search for our 2025 host. With the pandemic having floored our tournament calendar for two years and with many new clubs and individuals having joined our community in that time, so many people will not have experienced the amazing opportunity to play in an international Rugby event of this size in Europe.
All who attend can expect to create positive new connections, making lifelong friendships and enjoying the camaraderie that only this kind of event can bring. With just 15 weeks to go until we meet in Birmingham, I’m delighted to open the bid process to find the European IGR Member Club who will host Union Cup in 2025.”
A copy of the Union Cup 2025 Bid Requirements is available below, which includes the timeline of all the big milestones, from today’s launch, through to the announcement of the 2025 host at the Birmingham closing ceremony on 30 April.
IGR actively encourages bidding clubs to work on imaginative and creative ways to host Union Cup, so please feel free to make suggestions and provide ideas within the framework of the bid requirements document.
If you have any questions about this bid process, please email 2025@unioncuprugby.com
