The Army Rugby Union (ARU) is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Vodafone, who will became the principal sponsor of the organisation from 1st June 2025, for an initial term of five years.
This significant sponsorship agreement marks a new era for Army Rugby, uniting two institutions known for their dedication, teamwork, and resilience. As Principal Sponsor, Vodafone Business will have prominent branding across all Army Rugby Union representative teams’ playing kits, as well as visibility at Army Rugby fixtures and events. This development follows the recent renewal of Vodafone’s partnership with UKAF Rugby and the announcement of their title sponsorship of the Women’s IDRC.
Brigadier James Cook OBE, Chair of the Army Rugby Union, commented:
“We are delighted to welcome Vodafone as our new principal sponsor. Vodafone’s commitment to excellence and innovation reflects the values at the heart of Army Rugby. This partnership will not only strengthen our elite representative teams but will also support grassroots development and engagement across the wider Army community.”
Steve Knibbs, Director, Vodafone Business Security Enhanced, added:
“We are incredibly proud to support the Army Rugby Union as their Principal Sponsor. At Vodafone, we understand the importance of resilience, discipline, and teamwork – qualities that are deeply embedded in both rugby and military service. This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting the people and communities who protect and serve – while also highlighting the power of connectivity and innovation to drive performance and wellbeing.”
The five-year partnership will see collaborative initiatives across performance, wellbeing, and community engagement, underscoring both organisations’ commitment to leadership, service, and teamwork.
The Army Rugby Union looks forward to a dynamic and successful partnership with Vodafone, building on a shared heritage of excellence and purpose.
The move follows several recent armed forces announcements from Vodafone including:
- Renewing its multi-year partnership with UK Armed Forces Rugby (UKAF), underscoring its support for the armed forces through various initiatives and events. As the lead partner, Vodafone will leverage its PLAYER.Connect technology to enhance player performance, aiming to position UK Armed Forces at the forefront of service rugby.
- Becoming the title sponsor of the 2025 Women’s Inter-Defence Rugby Competition (IDRC), taking place across multiple locations in England this August and September, featuring teams from countries such as Tonga, Fiji, and Australia, reflecting Vodafone’s broader commitment to supporting the armed forces and promoting excellence in various military sporting events.
- Enhancing digital connectivity for military families by introducing exclusive full fibre broadband offers for Armed Forces personnel, ensuring fast, reliable, and affordable connections to help families stay in touch.
About the Army Rugby Union:
The Army Rugby Union (ARU) is the governing body for rugby union within the British Army. Established in 1906, the ARU fosters and promotes the sport among Army personnel, providing opportunities for players of all levels to engage in competitive and recreational rugby. The ARU is committed to upholding the core values of rugby and the British Army, including discipline, respect, and camaraderie.
About Vodafone in the UK:
Vodafone is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were also the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester. As of March 2022, we have 5G in 380 locations across Europe – 141 in the UK and 239 across Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland. Our 4G network coverage currently reaches more than 99% of the UK population.
Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. To help deliver Gigabit UK, our full-fibre broadband roll-out programme now covers 26 UK towns and cities, rising to 35 over the coming months through partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach. Our full fibre services are now available to more than eight million homes across the UK.
For more information about Vodafone UK please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk
