Qatar Airways Announces Partnership with The British & Irish Lions for 2025 Tour to Australia
Qatar Airways is thrilled to announce its role as the Official Title Partner and Official Airline Partner of The Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia in 2025. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the airline’s commitment to global sports, enhancing its impressive portfolio of international sporting events sponsorships. As the Official Airline Partner, Qatar Airways will be responsible for the air travel of the Lions team, ensuring seamless transportation to and from Australia, along with extensive brand exposure across all warm-up and test matches against the formidable Australian Wallabies.
The British & Irish Lions Tour is an iconic event in the rugby calendar, occurring every four years and featuring a combined team of top players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. These athletes compete against the leading national teams of the Southern Hemisphere, rotating among New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. The 2025 tour in Australia promises to be an exhilarating display of rugby prowess and strategy, with three scheduled Test matches set to captivate fans worldwide.
The tour will commence at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on July 19, 2025, followed by a match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on July 26, and concluding with a final test at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on August 2. Prior to these, the Lions will also play against a combined Australian and New Zealand team at Adelaide Oval, with additional fixtures planned across various cities including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. An estimated 20,000 fans are expected to travel to Australia, leveraging Qatar Airways’ award-winning inflight services.
Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, CEO of Qatar Airways Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, “We are elevating our commitment to rugby, transporting some of the world’s top athletes and their teams to compete in this premier event. Our expansive network, serving over 170 destinations, will play a crucial role in connecting rugby fans globally, allowing them to experience our top-tier service which has earned us the Skytrax World’s Best Airline award numerous times.”
Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions, highlighted the importance of an airline partner in logistical planning, “We are delighted to partner with Qatar Airways, a leader in global aviation with a proven track record of excellence. This partnership is instrumental in delivering a successful 2025 tour alongside Rugby Australia.”
Qatar Airways not only supports rugby but also invests in the broader Australian sports landscape, including partnerships with the Sydney Swans in Australian rules football, The F1 Australian Grand Prix, and The Qatar Airways Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island. This strategic focus on Australian sports is underscored by the airline’s operation of 42 weekly flights to key Australian cities.
Phil Waugh, CEO of Rugby Australia, commented on the robust ticket sales, “We’ve seen an overwhelming response from fans in Australia and the UK/Ireland, with the initial allocations for the three Tests and several tour games already sold out. The announcement with Qatar Airways fortifies this iconic sporting event, promising a memorable sports spectacle across Australia in 2025.”