Rugby Football Union (RFU) income breakdown England FY 2014-2024

During the 2024 financial year, the largest share of the English Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) income came from hospitality and catering, totaling 48.8 million British pounds. Meanwhile, broadcasting revenue made up the second-largest share, with 34.5 million British pounds. 

What is the Rugby Football Union?

Founded in 1871 as the world’s first organizational body in rugby, the RFU was the sport’s original rule maker. While World Rugby has since taken over rule-making duties, the RFU still governs and organizes rugby in England at both a grassroots and professional level. In the last decade, the number of individuals participating in rugby union in England has been on a general decline, with the number of participants nearly halving between 2016 and 2021. However, there have been some promising signs in the last three years, with the number of rugby players growing steadily year-over-year.

How has the English rugby union team performed recently?

During the 2023 Men’s Rugby World, England reached the semi-finals, before being beaten by eventual champions South Africa. The last time England had World Cup glory came in 2003, when Jonny Wilkinson famously kicked his side to its first Rugby World Cup title. Meanwhile, in the Six Nations Championship, England’s last title came in 2020 as of February 2025.