North East Authorities Allocate £500,000 for Rugby World Cup Promotion

A combined authority has committed £500,000 towards the promotion of a Rugby World Cup fixture. The inaugural match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, featuring England against the USA, is scheduled to take place at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light next year. The North East Combined Authority (NECA) has sanctioned these funds with the aim of encouraging local community members to participate in the sport. Paul Edgeworth, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Sunderland, expressed support for the initiative but emphasized the importance of ensuring the event’s inclusivity for residents across Wearside “regardless of background”. He further stated that NECA and Sunderland City Council must guarantee that the events are “priced and promoted in a way that is affordable and accessible for local people, rather than giving free tickets to people who would have paid to attend anyway”. The precise allocation of these funds remains undetermined at present, with further details expected to be disclosed nearer to the match date. NECA indicated that the funding is designated for activities aimed at welcoming visitors to the North East and establishing a lasting legacy “inspiring new generations to take up the sport”. A spokesman for NECA commented, “The eyes of the sporting world will be on Sunderland when it plays host to the opening of next summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, but also the eyes of our region.” This financial commitment aligns with the combined authority’s broader objective to establish north-east England as the country’s inaugural Region of Sport. This designation aims to identify the North East as an area where community engagement, tourist arrivals, financial investment, and public health are enhanced via sporting activities. To ensure the success of its bid, NECA is required to demonstrate that these advantages can be realized through sporting events, utilizing the Women’s Rugby World Cup match and Euro 2028 as evaluative benchmarks. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness stated that the initiative focuses on fostering participation “at a grassroots level in sport” alongside attracting major events to the area. Reporting was additionally provided by Daniel Holland of the Local Democracy Reporting Service. For updates, follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.