Champ Rugby secures multi-year, purpose-led partnership

Champ Rugby is delighted to announce a multi-year partnership with contract caterer Elior UK, becoming the title sponsor of the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) Tier 2 competition, in a relationship built on shared values, community impact and a commitment to health and wellbeing.

Under the new agreement, the competition will be known as Elior Champ Rugby. This is a significant new chapter for the league and a major step forward in Elior UK’s investment in sport, culture and social value. The agreement marks the first title sponsorship for the league in over six years and reflects a shift towards purpose-led collaboration, where commercial success and social impact go hand in hand.

At the centre of the partnership is a strong alignment of purpose. Both organisations place people, wellbeing and opportunity at the centre of what they do – from Champ Rugby’s mission to grow competition following and interest, while strengthening clubs, players and communities nationwide, to Elior UK’s focus on nutrition, healthier lifestyles and its lifetime of enrichment social-value programme.

Together, Champ Rugby and Elior UK aim to champion the role of food, health and community in supporting performance on the pitch and positive outcomes off it, helping players, fans and local communities thrive.

Champ Rugby is English rugby’s biggest supporter, connecting grassroots communities with the professional game and providing a ‘Proving Ground’ for future stars. It is the second tier of men’s rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. Featuring 14 teams across the country, the league delivers strong regional reach, local engagement and a powerful platform for community support.

Brian Facer, Head of Champ Rugby, said: “At Champ Rugby, we exist to grow the game, develop people and strengthen communities. Elior UK shares that same commitment to driving opportunity and long-term impact. This is about fuelling futures – investing in healthier lifestyles, stronger clubs and the next generation of players and fans.”

“This is far more than a sponsorship – it’s a partnership built on shared values,” said Catherine Roe, chief executive officer at Elior UK.

“We’re championing nutrition and healthier lifestyles and supporting local communities and future talent. This collaboration enables us to bring our purpose to life in a meaningful and impactful way.”

Craig Stewart, divisional managing director, stadia at Elior UK added, “Our experience delivering food and hospitality in the stadia sector makes us a natural partner for Champ Rugby. This partnership allows us to apply that expertise in a way that supports clubs, communities and the future of the game.”

Activation is now rolling out in the final quarter of the season, with the league transitioning to Elior Champ Rugby branding across broadcast, digital and in-stadium environments.

Elior UK already has a strong presence within UK sport, including established partnerships at Scottish Rugby’s Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, and with Glasgow Warriors. The Champ Rugby collaboration builds on this foundation while extending Elior’s impact deeper into regional communities.

Champ Rugby is the professional second tier of rugby union in England. Featuring 14 teams across the country, it is English rugby’s biggest supporter and is the crucial link in the pathway from grassroots to the top of the game. On the field, talent is handed an opportunity at the elite level, off the field, Champ Rugby lives for the growth of the game, connecting people and communities.

For further information: www.champrugby.com

Elior UK operates high profile catering contracts across the B&I, health & care home, defence, education, stadia and heritage sectors. It provides customers with a bespoke offer that focuses on great food, drink and customer service and couples it with the benefits that a large company brings. Elior UK is part of Elior Group which operates worldwide with annual revenues of €5.8billion.

For further information: http://www.elior.co.uk

Founded in 1991, the Elior Group is a world leader in catering and multiservice, and a benchmark in the world of business, education, health, social and leisure. Enjoying robust positions in 9 countries, the Group achieved pro forma revenue of €5.8 billion in 2023. Its 133,000 employees feed 3.1 million people every day in 20,200 restaurants on three continents and provide services in 6 countries.

The Group is based on an economic model built around innovation and social responsibility. In 2004, the Elior Group signed up to the United Nations Global Compact, reaching advanced level in 2015.

For more information: www.eliorgroup.com