# Six Nations in America? Rugby’s Bold Play to Crack the US Sports Market
The prospect of staging Six Nations matches in the United States has emerged as a serious commercial consideration, as rugby union continues its long-running campaign to establish a meaningful footprint in one of the world’s most competitive sports markets. The All Blacks have spearheaded much of this push, and their efforts have yielded encouraging results: Ireland’s historic first victory over New Zealand drew a capacity 60,000-strong crowd at Chicago’s Soldier Field in 2016, a 2025 rematch proved a similar commercial success, and additional fixtures against the United States in Washington (a 104-14 win before roughly 40,000 fans) and Fiji in San Diego (47-5, before 33,217) have further demonstrated American appetite for top-tier international rugby. Now, figures within the game believe the Six Nations’ rich history and its natural connection to America’s vast expatriate communities could be the key to unlocking the market even further.
## The Expatriate Argument: Capitalising on Irish and Italian Fanbases
Central to this thinking is the idea that the Six Nations’ established rivalries resonate with diaspora communities in ways that newer fixtures cannot. Speaking to the BBC, Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison (referred to in discussions as Gilpin) highlighted the example of a potential Italy versus Ireland fixture, pointing to the „two fantastic fanbases” of Irish and Italian heritage present in American cities. „If you could take a Six Nations game to the right place, to a Boston or to a New York, where there’s a lot of those fanbases, you can definitely drive the economics,” he explained. He acknowledged the inevitable counter-argument—that fans in Ireland and Italy would object to losing a home fixture—but framed it as a question of balance, noting that Irish and Italian supporters would still be watching their teams, „just not the ones who live in Ireland and Italy on this occasion.”
## Precedent and Practical Hurdles
While such a long-haul venue switch would be unprecedented in the tournament’s 143-year history, there is some precedent for relocation: Wales played their home Six Nations matches at London’s Wembley Stadium in 1998 and 1999 while the Principality Stadium was under construction. Any stateside fixture would require support from World Rugby, but the final decision would rest with the competing nations, all of whom are acutely aware of the controversy that transplanting a marquee fixture thousands of miles away would generate. The schedules for both the men’s and women’s 2027 tournaments have already been finalised, meaning any American expansion would be a longer-term project rather than an immediate change.
## Skepticism From Within: Mitchell Urges Caution
Not everyone is convinced the strategy will pay off. England women’s head coach John Mitchell, who previously led the United States men’s team, expressed doubt about whether Americans would embrace rugby’s established rivalries, observing that US sport is built around its own entrenched competitions and franchises. „I just don’t think Americans adjust to new rivalries or new franchises compared to probably some of the other countries,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live, adding that rugby union remains „a difficult challenge for large parts of America.” Mitchell was similarly wary of staging a Red Roses Six Nations match overseas, arguing that the European market offers far greater visibility and that rugby should „grow the game slowly” there rather than making huge investments in ventures with uncertain returns. His caution underscores the central tension facing the sport: whether the commercial promise of America justifies the disruption, cost, and potential backlash that a stateside Six Nations would inevitably bring.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c5ymg0pm1yno.