List_of_rugby_union_playing_countries

List of rugby union playing countries

List of rugby union playing countries

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This list shows each country which has a union affiliated to World Rugby, the international governing body for rugby union. It also shows the number of registered clubs playing in each country, official referees and the number of registered players broken down by gender and age group.

In 2023, the total number of registered players increased from 5.82 million to 8.4 million. South Africa has the most with 804,279. These numbers are all estimates and the correct number of registered players is likely higher. [1]

More information Country, No. of Clubs ...

Footnotes

Notes
  1. Australia: Data listed in the table, including the total of 86,952 registered players, is from the archived IRB webpage as at 25 September 2011,[nb 3] which allows for comparison to figures from other countries sourced from the same website in the same time frame. Participation figures recorded in later archives from the IRB include both registered and unregistered players (totals over 297,000 in 2012,[nb 4] and over 482,000 in 2014,[nb 5] and are therefore not useful in comparison to the rest of the table). Other sources, such as Ausport, put the overall number of rugby players as low as 42,100 but this is based on older data from 1999–2000.[nb 6][nb 7]
  2. The totals for all the age groups combined fail to match the total due to Argentina's failure to supply breakdown figures for age group and gender. Assuming total players as correct figure.
  3. "Australia". IRB. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  4. "119 countries... 6.6 million players" (PDF). IRB. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  5. "Active Australia: The Numbers Game" (PDF). Ausport. March 2000. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  6. "Rugby Union Profile, Ausport" (PDF). Ausport. March 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
References
  1. "Player numbers". Worldrugby.org. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  2. "American Samoa". IRB. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  3. "Andorra". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  4. "Argentina". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  5. Chadwick, Simon (5 April 2011). "Economic Impact Report on Global Rugby; Part III: Strategic and Emerging Markets" (PDF). Centre for the International Business of Sport, Coventry University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  6. "Armenia". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  7. "Australia". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  8. "Austria". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  9. "Azerbaijan". WR. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  10. "Bahamas". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  11. "Barbados". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  12. "Belgium". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  13. "Bermuda". IRB. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  14. "Bosnia & Herzegovina". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  15. "Botswana". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  16. "Brazil". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  17. "British Virgin Isles". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  18. "Bulgaria". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  19. "Burundi". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  20. "Cambodia". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  21. "Cameroon". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  22. "Canada". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  23. "Cayman". IRB. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  24. "Chile". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  25. "China". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  26. "Chinese Taipei". IRB. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  27. "Columbia". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  28. "Cook Islands". IRB. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  29. "Croatia". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  30. "Czech Republic". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  31. "Denmark". IRB. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  32. "England". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 June 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  33. "Fiji". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  34. "Finland". IRB. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  35. "France". IRB. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  36. "Georgia". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  37. "Germany". IRB. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  38. "Ghana". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  39. "Greece". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  40. "Guam". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  41. "Guyana". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  42. "Hong Kong". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  43. "Hungary". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  44. "India". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  45. "Indonesia". IRB. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  46. "Iran". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  47. "Ireland". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  48. "Israel". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  49. "Italy". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  50. "Ivory Coast". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  51. "Jamaica". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  52. "Japan". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  53. "Kazakhstan". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  54. "Kenya". IRB. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  55. "Korea". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  56. "Kyrgyzstan". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  57. "Lao". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  58. "Latvia". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  59. "Lithuania". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  60. "Luxembourg". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  61. "Madagascar". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  62. "Malaysia". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  63. "Mali". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  64. "Malta". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  65. "Mauritania". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  66. "Mauritius". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  67. "Mexico". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  68. "Moldova". IRB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  69. "Monaco". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  70. "Morocco". IRB. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  71. "Morocco". IRB. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  72. "Namibia". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  73. "Netherlands". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  74. "New Zealand". IRB. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  75. "Nigeria". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  76. "Niue Islands". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  77. "Norway". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  78. "Pakistan". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  79. "Papua New Guinea". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  80. "Paraguay". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  81. "Peru". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  82. "Philippines". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  83. "Club Rugby". PHILIPPINE RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  84. "Poland". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  85. "Portugal". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  86. "Romania". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  87. "Russia". IRB. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  88. "Rwanda". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  89. "Samoa". IRB. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  90. "Scotland". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  91. "Senegal". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  92. "Serbia". IRB. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  93. "Singapore". IRB. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  94. "Slovinia". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  95. "Solomon Islands". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  96. "South Africa". IRB. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  97. "Spain". IRB. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  98. "Sri Lanka". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  99. "St Lucia". IRB. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  100. "St. Vincent & the Grenadines". IRB. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  101. "Swaziland". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  102. "Sweden". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  103. "Switzerland". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  104. "Tahiti". IRB. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  105. "Tanzania". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  106. "Thailand". IRB. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  107. "Tonga". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  108. "Trinidad & Tobago". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  109. "Tunisia". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  110. "Uganda". IRB. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  111. "Ukraine". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  112. "Uruguay". IRB. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  113. "USA". IRB. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  114. "Uzbekistan". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  115. "Vanuatu". IRB. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  116. "Venezuela". IRB. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  117. "Wales". IRB. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  118. "Wales". WRU. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  119. "Zambia". IRB. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  120. "Zimbabwe". IRB. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.

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