Is rugby popular in Brazil? Here's what's really going on
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Brazil Rugby Growth Insight
Based on current data: Soccer has 20M+ players vs. rugby's 40,000+ players. Rugby is growing at 15% annually with women's participation at 40% of total players.
When you think of Brazil, you probably picture soccer. Pelé, Neymar, World Cup banners, and beach football. But ask someone in São Paulo or Rio if they’ve seen a rugby match, and you might get a shrug-or a surprised smile. The truth? Rugby isn’t just growing in Brazil-it’s quietly becoming something people actually care about.
Rugby isn’t new to Brazil, but it’s been hiding in plain sight
Rugby came to Brazil in the late 1800s, brought by British immigrants and sailors in ports like Rio and Santos. But unlike soccer, which exploded into national obsession, rugby stayed small. It was played mostly in elite schools and expat communities. For decades, it was seen as a foreign sport, not Brazilian.
That changed in the 2000s. The Brazilian Rugby Confederation started pushing hard for grassroots growth. They built youth programs in public schools, trained local coaches, and started organizing regional leagues. Today, over 120 clubs operate across the country. That’s up from fewer than 30 in 2005. And it’s not just in big cities-teams now exist in Curitiba, Belém, and even smaller towns like Campinas and Recife.
Women’s rugby is leading the charge
One of the biggest surprises? Women’s rugby is growing faster than men’s. In 2023, Brazil’s women’s sevens team qualified for the World Rugby Sevens Series for the first time. They didn’t just show up-they beat teams like Spain and Kenya. Their speed and aggression caught the attention of fans and sponsors alike.
Over 40% of registered rugby players in Brazil are now female. That’s higher than in countries like England and Australia. Schools in São Paulo now run girls’ rugby clinics during PE class. Parents who once thought rugby was too rough for their daughters are now signing them up. One mother in Belo Horizonte told a local paper: “I didn’t know rugby was this physical, but my 14-year-old came home with bruises and a grin. She’s never been more confident.”
Rugby fixtures are starting to draw crowds
Yes, you won’t see 80,000 people at a rugby match like you do at a soccer game. But attendance is climbing. The 2024 Brazil Sevens tournament in São Paulo drew over 12,000 fans over two days. That’s more than double the 2021 numbers. Tickets sold out. Local businesses set up food stalls. Families brought flags painted in green and yellow.
Fixtures are now scheduled on weekends, not weekdays. TV stations like SporTV and YouTube channels like Rugby Brasil TV stream matches live. You can watch the Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby, the national championship, with Portuguese commentary. And it’s not just for diehards anymore-casual viewers are tuning in.
The rise of the “Rugby Kids” generation
Look at the U18 national team. Most of them started playing at age 8 or 9. They didn’t grow up watching rugby on TV-they grew up playing it in schoolyards. Their parents didn’t know the rules, but they bought cleats and mouthguards anyway.
Coaches say these kids play differently. They’re more aggressive. They tackle harder. They don’t wait to be told what to do-they just go. One coach from Minas Gerais told me: “They don’t see rugby as a British sport. They see it as theirs.”
That shift matters. When a child thinks a sport belongs to them, they don’t just play it-they defend it. They bring friends. They start YouTube channels. They beg their schools to build pitches.
What’s holding rugby back?
It’s not lack of passion. It’s infrastructure. Brazil has over 200 soccer stadiums. But fewer than 15 proper rugby fields. Many teams play on converted soccer pitches with painted lines. Rain turns them into mud pits. Helmets get dirty. Cleats break.
Funding is tight too. The national federation gets less than $2 million a year from government sources. Compare that to Brazil’s soccer federation, which makes over $300 million annually. Most rugby clubs rely on local businesses, parent fundraisers, and crowdfunding. One team in Porto Alegre raised $15,000 by selling homemade brigadeiros.
And while the men’s team competes in the Americas Rugby Championship, they still struggle to get noticed outside the region. No Brazilian team has ever qualified for the Rugby World Cup. That’s changing, but slowly.
Why this matters beyond the field
Rugby in Brazil isn’t just about scores and tackles. It’s about identity. For kids in favelas, rugby offers structure, discipline, and a sense of belonging. Teams often double as mentorship programs. Coaches help players with schoolwork. Some clubs run literacy programs during training.
In a country where inequality runs deep, rugby gives kids from poor neighborhoods a chance to travel, compete internationally, and even earn scholarships. Brazil’s U20 team recently sent three players to study in the UK on rugby scholarships. One of them, a 19-year-old from Salvador, now studies sports science at a university in Leeds.
The future: Can Brazil make the World Cup?
The goal isn’t just to play more games. It’s to win them. Brazil’s men’s sevens team is ranked 18th in the world. That’s not top tier-but it’s higher than Argentina’s in 2010. The federation has set a target: qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, hosted in the U.S.
They’re investing in talent pipelines. They’ve partnered with schools in 12 states. They’ve hired former international coaches from South Africa and New Zealand. And they’re using data analytics to track player development-something almost no other South American country does.
If they hit their targets, Brazil could be the first non-traditional rugby nation from the Americas to qualify for the World Cup since Uruguay in 2003. And if they do? It won’t just be a win for rugby. It’ll be a win for every kid who ever got told they couldn’t play because the sport wasn’t “for them.”
Is rugby popular in Brazil compared to soccer?
No, rugby is nowhere near as popular as soccer in Brazil. Soccer is the national obsession, with millions of players and massive media coverage. But rugby is growing fast-especially among youth and women. While soccer has over 20 million registered players, rugby has around 40,000. That’s small, but the growth rate is among the highest in the world.
Are there professional rugby teams in Brazil?
Not in the traditional sense. Brazil doesn’t have a fully professional league like England’s Premiership or France’s Top 14. But there are semi-pro teams. The top players get small stipends, gear, and travel support from the federation. Some play in the national league while holding part-time jobs or studying. A few have signed contracts with clubs in Europe and South Africa after standout performances.
Where can I watch rugby fixtures in Brazil?
Rugby matches are streamed live on SporTV’s YouTube channel and the official Rugby Brasil TV platform. The national championship, Campeonato Brasileiro de Rugby, is broadcast regularly during weekends. Major tournaments like the Brazil Sevens are also available on TV. For international games, you can find them on World Rugby’s YouTube channel or through subscription services like DAZN.
Do Brazilians play rugby in schools?
Yes, and it’s one of the biggest reasons rugby is growing. Over 200 public and private schools in Brazil now include rugby in their physical education programs. The federation works with state education departments to train teachers and provide equipment. In São Paulo alone, more than 15,000 students play rugby during school hours. Many start as young as age 6.
Why is women’s rugby growing faster than men’s in Brazil?
Women’s rugby benefits from less competition for attention. With soccer dominated by men, girls had fewer sports options. Rugby filled that gap. Also, the national women’s team’s recent success gave girls role models to look up to. The federation prioritized funding for girls’ programs, and parents responded. It’s not that men’s rugby is shrinking-it’s that women’s rugby is exploding.