Uganda Rugby Union (URU) President Godwin Kayangwe has said the sport is set for further growth following the renewal of a three-year broadcast partnership with Next Media Services.
“We are pleased to extend our partnership with Next Media Services,” Kayangwe said in a statement issued Monday. “Their coverage has greatly increased rugby’s visibility in Uganda. We expect continued growth through this renewed collaboration.”
The new agreement will see NBS Sport, a Next Media platform, continue to broadcast major local competitions including the Nile Special Rugby Premiership, the Nile Special National 7s Series, and the Uganda Cup.
It also expands to include grassroots and youth-focused events such as the Uganda Central Schools Rugby Association (USRA) League and university competitions in both 7s and XVs formats.
As part of the extended partnership, NBS Sport will also broadcast the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup, a qualifier for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The tournament will be held in July 2025 at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Next Media Group CEO Kin Kariisa said the broadcaster remains committed to supporting local sport.
“We remain committed to championing Ugandan sports through our platforms,” Kariisa said. “Rugby has grown significantly through our coverage, and we look forward to continuing this momentum, particularly with the upcoming 2025 Rugby Africa Cup.”
The renewal follows a visit to Uganda in March by Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah, during which strategic plans for hosting the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup were discussed.
Both URU and Next Media say the new agreement will play a key role in driving national and grassroots rugby development.
