Unilever Returns as Rugby World Cup Sponsor with Major Personal Care Brands
Unilever has been unveiled as a commercial sponsor for the Rugby World Cup 2025 (RWC 2025), reinforcing its presence in global sports through a strategic partnership with World Rugby. The agreement brings Unilever’s powerhouse personal care brands—Dove, Rexona (marketed as Sure in the UK), Axe, Radox, and Lifebuoy—into the spotlight for the marquee women’s rugby event scheduled to be held in England.
This move continues Unilever’s collaboration with World Rugby, following the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. With growing momentum behind women’s sports, the 2025 tournament presents a prime opportunity for brands to align with values of empowerment, inclusion, and performance.
As part of the sponsorship, Unilever brands will benefit from extensive in-venue visibility across all tournament locations. The partnership also includes a wide-reaching activation strategy that will see product sampling and digital campaigns designed to engage consumers both inside and outside the stadiums.
World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin stated that Unilever’s involvement represents a shared commitment to driving positive societal change and inclusivity in sports. “We are delighted to be partnering with Unilever once again to use our combined platforms to reach and inspire millions of fans,” he said.
The 2025 event, running from August 22 to September 27 across eight host cities in England, is expected to be the most widely attended women’s Rugby World Cup in history. Tickets went on sale in May 2024, and the tournament is being positioned as a catalyst for accelerating the growth of women’s rugby globally.
For FMCG stakeholders, Unilever’s renewed investment in sports sponsorship highlights a continued trend among personal care and hygiene brands leveraging large-scale sporting events for enhanced consumer engagement and brand differentiation. The alignment also reflects a deeper commitment to purpose-led marketing, especially around themes pertinent to diversity and gender equality.
Unilever’s activation plans are being supported by their global sponsorship agency Fuse, further emphasizing the company’s strategic approach to driving impact at the intersection of sport and consumer experience.
As competition intensifies in the personal care market, partnerships such as this signal the importance of associating brands with culturally significant platforms that resonate with evolving consumer values and behaviors.