Welsh Rugby Union reports £18m loss as revenue rises
The governing body says it cannot afford its current funding for four professional regions, citing the losses to support its already-announced reduction to three.
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The governing body says it cannot afford its current funding for four professional regions, citing the losses to support its already-announced reduction to three.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) reported an £18m loss for the financial year ending June 2026, compared with £7.2m the previous year. The loss widened even as turnover—its revenue—rose by £10m to £116.2m, BBC Sport reported.
The figures follow the WRU’s decision to reduce professional rugby in Wales from four regional teams to three. The union says the losses support its argument that four regions are no longer financially sustainable. Ospreys and Scarlets are competing for one west Wales regional licence.
Gavin Marshall, the WRU’s chief financial and operating officer, said the union’s other costs leave about £20m for professional rugby, but it is providing £26m across the four clubs. He said the union could not afford that level of funding and needed both higher revenue and control over spending.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Money available | About £20m |
| Current funding across four clubs | £26m |
The WRU blamed its worsening finances on rising energy and staffing costs, falling ticket sales and lower spending by fans. Five months earlier, Marshall had described the union’s finances as being in a “pretty good position”.
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The men’s national team generates almost half the WRU’s income, making international matches particularly important to its finances. Marshall said the union hosted seven men’s internationals rather than five the previous year, but match income rose by only £2m. He attributed that return to lower average ticket prices, some lower attendances and economic pressure on consumer spending.
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