LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 4, 2019/APO Group/ —APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service in Africa and the Middle East, and World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa,  today announced an extension to their partnership making APO Group the main Official Sponsor of Rugby Africa, the highest level of sponsorship, until 2023

The announcement was made during the Rugby Africa Summit in Marrakech, Morocco.

The two organizations began their close collaboration in 2017 with joint initiatives to promote African rugby on the continent and internationally, supporting the rapid growth of the sport.

Rugby is now one of the most popular sports worldwide. After the summer Olympic Games and the football World Cup, the Rugby World Cup is the third largest sporting event in the world, attracting 2.6 billion viewers in over 200 countries. The increased interest in rugby is pushing federations to consider a new format for future World Cups, with more teams involved. This is positive news for the game in Africa as it means more of the developing rugby nations on the continent will have a chance to qualify.

APO Group will remain the main Official Sponsor of World Rugby’s African Association, Rugby Africa until the end of 2022 and will be associated with major international competitions throughout the continent and beyond, including the Africa Rugby 7s tournament – which is a qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.

Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group, said: “Africa’s population will double by 2050 and will represent 40% of humanity in 2100, so it represents an essential challenge for all international sports federations, starting with rugby – whose number of players has more than tripled in recent years. This partnership extension confirms our commitment to Rugby Africa and demonstrates our desire to support the growing development of the sport. Rugby embodies the values that are rooted in the DNA of APO Group such as team spirit and commitment, but also the desire to surpass oneself and to make a difference as a community.”

Abdelaziz Bougja, outgoing president of Rugby Africa added: “Our partnership with APO Group has proved extremely successful and it is only natural that we have decided to extend it until 2023. The impact of the APO Group’s work has been amazing and has helped us considerably to raise the profile of African rugby. Having such an experienced partner is invaluable in supporting us in our efforts to improve our visibility and promote our intercountry competitions worldwide. Our partnership also reflect the values and ambitions shared by our two organizations.”