USA Rugby has confirmed that Emirates will continue to sponsors the men’s and women’s senior teams for the next five years.

The airline will appear on the jerseys and training kits of both the Sevens and Fifteens sides until at least 2023.

“We have really appreciated Emirates’ partnership with USA Rugby for almost a decade now,” USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne said.

“The international influence their brand presents has been a perfect partnership for our senior national teams.”

As well as appearing on the players’ kits, branding will also feature on all USA Rugby referee and staff apparel.

“Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the US and is a natural fit to complement our other rugby properties,” said Boutros Boutros, the airline’s divisional senior vice president, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand.

“Emirates takes pride, not only in its ability to deliver an award-winning travel experience to its passengers, but also to connect fans to the sport they love. We look forward to continuing this partnership.”

The Emirates Airline Summer Series will also return in 2018, in a repeat of the carrier’s title sponsorship of the USA men’s team’s summer test matches.

The USA rugby team has competed at every Rugby World Cup since 1995 but has won just three matches in that time. The most recent victory was a 13-6 triumph over Russia in 2011.

USA will get another crack at the tournament in 2019, however, after securing qualification by beating Canada last year.

Emirates has been involved in rugby for a number of years now, having fist been a ‘Tournament Sponsor’ for the 2007 edition in France.

The airline was also a key sponsor for the 2011 and 2015 World Cups and will one again be an official Worldwide Partner of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

 

Emirates also sponsors the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) match officials – with the deal running until the end of 2019. The 2015 World Cup was the first time a sponsor’s name was on the shirts of the match officials during the tournament.

 

Additionally, the Dubai-based carrier airline sponsors the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens and the Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens.