“France is the real winner of the 2023 Rugby World Cup”. This is the slightly provocative title of the World Rugby press release this Thursday. The international federation published its World Cup impact report this Thursday. And according to this study, for France, the Rugby World Cup was a sporting failure but an economic success.
Despite the elimination of the Blues in the quarter-finals against South Africa (29-28), the World Cup, organized from September 8 to October 28, 2023 in 10 cities in France, had positive repercussions for the French economy . This is the conclusion of the impact report commissioned by the State and the organizers, produced by the firm EY France, and published this Thursday, almost 7 months after the final.
According to this long study, based on surveys of 15,000 people, interviews with organizers and official documents, the 4th sporting event on the planet generated a total of 1.8 billion euros in spending, in France and in the world. Deducting all costs (organization, security, etc.) for the State and French communities, and the expenses of supporters and French businesses, the net impact was positive at 871 million euros for the French economy, calculates EY France.
Please note, these are not the accounts of the GIP France 2023 Organizing Committee, which must be closed soon (the GIP must be dissolved on June 1), and should generate a profit of around forty million euros. euros, to be distributed between State, FFR, host cities, LNR…
585 million for tourism, 425,000 foreign visitors
The EY report focuses on the spending induced by the World Cup, which benefited the entire French economy. “The economic impact of the Rugby World Cup is mainly driven by tourism,” according to the study. The World Cup generated 585 million euros in turnover for tourism (accommodation, leisure, spending in local businesses, transport), a level equivalent to that of Euro 2016 in France.
It is mainly foreign tourists who have boosted the French economy. 2.4 million tickets were sold, to 902,000 spectators. Among them, 425,000 foreign visitors came for the World Cup. The green tide of the Irish, the English fans in Marseille, Lille or Nice… The Anglo-Saxons have invaded France, some coming from very far away (South Africa, Australia, New Zealand). They stayed a long time: 10 days on average. And they spent a lot: 170 euros per day, compared to 80 euros on average for a French fan. They left satisfied, 98%, with 82% even wanting to come back.
The tourism benefits benefited the 10 host cities, but not only. 40% of expenditure was made elsewhere, in tourist destinations but far from the World Cup, such as Alsace, Burgundy, the Châteaux de la Loire, the landing beaches, Mont Saint-Michel, the Île de Ré… The everything, without crowding out effect, since these tourists did not replace others during this slow period of September-October.
A heavy carbon footprint
But the other side of the coin of this tourist success is the heavy carbon footprint of the event. These international fans arrived in France by plane, and even made several return trips (2 on average) with their country of origin, given the long duration of the event. Consequence: 830,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent released, 94% by transport (mainly by plane to come to France). However, it is 3 times less than Euro 2016. But the carbon footprint of the football competition had been weighed down by the construction or renovation of stadiums in Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice or Lille. For France 2023, all the infrastructure was existing. World Rugby says it wants to offset 100,000 tonnes of this impact through various ecological programs.
It remains to assess the benefits for French rugby. The FFR recorded 12% more licensees, but still fears losing money because of hospitality purchased too expensively and not profitable. But for the international federation World Rugby, it is more than positive. “The positive impact of the World Cup has extended beyond the field of play, with enormous benefits for the host country, its people, its businesses, society and the wider environment,” said Bill Beaumont, the boss of World Rugby.
On the French side, the good economic success, if not sporting, was greeted with relief by the authorities, a few days before the Paris Olympics, which will welcome three times as many foreign tourists. The Rugby World Cup impact report will serve as a model to, when the time comes, take stock of the Games. No less than 13 different impact reports are planned for Paris 2024.
