Orange or CMA CGM: Who could replace Altrad as France Rugby’s shirt partner?

France Rugby is set to replace Altrad as its front-of-shirt partner. City AM asked industry experts who could get the new gig.

Rugby’s big 10 nations, unsurprisingly, garner much financial support from major commercial deals, with front-of-shirt sponsors the most lucrative source of income.

O2, Vodafone (twice), Vittoria, Altrad (twice), Cadbury and FNB are the big hitters set to feature on kits at rugby’s Nations Championship, which resumes this weekend. But for construction firm Altrad, founded by Syrian-born French resident Mohed Altrad, it will be the last year adorning the front of the famous Les Bleus shirt. 

After nearly a decade the French Rugby Federation this week reportedly signed the document that concluded the partnership, effective July 2027. So who could take over after the Six Nations?

“France has a €10m shirt to sell and a small pool of buyers who can afford it and for whom it would make commercial sense, so the FFR should look beyond rugby’s traditional sponsors,” Laurence Miller of Red Tiger Marketing tells City AM. 

“The brands with the most money moving into European sport right now are Chinese car makers and AI enabled companies.”

Altrad out…

Adds MSQ Sport + Entertainment’s Steve Martin: “I think the greater context is the French team is built around Antoine Dupont – probably the most recognisable rugby player at the moment – and they’ve got that French flair. France’s rugby is a very powerful, well-loved team in the country, so it attracts big dollars and big euros for its partnerships.”

International rugby teams are not allowed commercial partners on their shirts at a World Cup, but whichever brand replaces Altrad will have links with the nation who are among the favourites to lift the trophy in Australia next summer.

England have led the way in commercialising their brand, recently entering into a renewed deal with O2 while adding Lloyds as their first back-of-shirt sponsor and Allianz as stadium naming rights partner.

…shipping in?

“French rugby fans are a third more likely than average to be business decision-makers and 36 per cent more likely to be senior managers,” Miller adds. “That’s exactly who B2B tech, AI and financial services brands are trying to reach.

“Mistral AI, Alan, Qonto and Pennylane all fit that profile, and Pennylane is already sponsoring the Top 14 finals. The winner will most likely be one of the new wave of global brands buying into European sport, or one of France’s emerging tech champions looking to make its name on the world stage.”

Concludes Martin: “You’ve got the 2027 Rugby World Cup looming, which is always a great focal point.

“The market in rugby is up and down for sponsorship generally but internationally the big teams haven’t struggled and they’ve actually had long-term partnerships.

“I think they’ve got something up their sleeve and you’re looking at brands like Orange, Axa, Michelin. There is another brand that’s in the market and that’s the shipping firm CMA CGM – they’re ones to watch.”