Which organisation runs the Rugby World Cup?

World Rugby runs the Rugby World Cup. It is the international federation that governs rugby union worldwide and oversees the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups among its major competitions.

World Rugby was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Board, commonly abbreviated IRB. The organisation adopted the name World Rugby in 2014 as part of a broader effort to present the sport as a global game. Its responsibilities include maintaining the Laws of the Game, developing the sport, supporting national unions and managing major international competitions.

The tournament itself is delivered through World Rugby’s tournament structures, including Rugby World Cup Limited and related event organisations. That is why host countries stage the matches, but the global competition remains under the authority of the international governing body.

A common mix-up is FIFA, which governs association football, or International Rugby League, which belongs to the separate rugby league code. Six Nations Rugby organises the Six Nations Championship, but it does not run the Rugby World Cup. World Rugby also governs other events, including Rugby World Cup Sevens and the women’s championship.