GLENDALE, CO (January 19, 2024) – USA Rugby, Major League Rugby (MLR), and World Rugby have officially confirmed a strategic partnership to launch a new MLR expansion club in Charlotte, North Carolina, named Anthem Rugby Carolina (RC).
The new club will immediately join competition for the 2024 season, with American Legion Memorial Stadium serving as its match day home.
This ground-breaking partnership between the governing bodies for global and American rugby, as well as North America’s premier professional rugby league, represents a significant investment and collaboration in the growth and development of the game in the United States, as future hosts of the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033 respectively. The team will predominantly be made up of the most exciting young American talent available and will solidify MLR as the primary pathway for America’s best rugby players who have aspirations to play for their country.
This story was first broken almost two weeks ago by Bryan Ray at Americas Rugby News>>
MLR and USA Rugby have previously collaborated to support the USA Hawks, an initiative focused on helping young American players and USA-qualified prospects grow as elite rugby players via a dedicated performance pathway. Anthem RC, through the relationship with World Rugby and USA Rugby, will greatly accelerate that high-performance objective by supporting the long-term goals of the USA men’s national team in advance of qualification for Rugby World Cup 2027 and hosting the 2031 edition on home soil.
“The new club is a gamechanger for American rugby and will create new pathways for player development and grassroots participation, building on the outstanding foundation our teams have forged during the past seven years.” said Nic Benson, CEO of MLR. “We’re grateful to the leadership of both World Rugby and USA Rugby for their partnership in this endeavor as we work towards our shared goal of a record breaking 2031 Rugby World Cup on US soil. Charlotte is one of the best sports cities in the country, with a passionate fan base for
everything from basketball to soccer, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring home its first professional rugby franchise. There already is a great rugby community in Charlotte, and I’m excited to introduce this sport to new fans across the Carolinas.”
USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young added: “This remarkable collaboration between MLR, USA Rugby and World Rugby is an inspiring example of progress we can look forward to as rugby in America begins a new trajectory. Anthem RC provides a truly unique opportunity for accelerated development with USA Rugby High Performance while continuing to bolster MLR as a key pathway for the USA Men’s Eagles. The level of teamwork that has occurred across all parties to bring this project to life is unprecedented and we’re thrilled to see it on a rugby pitch this year.”