Qatar and Nepal join World Rugby full membership

Through recent years including the period of COVID-19 both Qatar Rugby and Nepal Rugby have demonstrated a solid commitment to host continental tournaments on their home Soil.

Qatar Rugby Federation and Nepal Rugby Association were granted full membership status by the World Rugby during its biannual Council Meeting held virtually on May 11, 2023.

The inclusion of these two members means that out of the 36 Asia Rugby members, 22 are now full members of World Rugby.

The President of Asia Rugby, Qais Al Dhalai sent his congratulations to the newly appointed members and said, “This is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to growing the sport in their respective countries. As Asia Rugby, we are proud to see our members reach new heights and we look forward to working with and supporting more unions to reach their own goals and milestones.”

Qatar Rugby Federation

Qatar Rugby Federation successfully hosted and won Asia Rugby Division 2 in Doha against very tough opponents Kazakhstan and India. Rugby has been played in Qatar since 1974 and Qatar Rugby was one of the founding members of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union and joined Asia Rugby as an associate member in 2003, In 2006, Qatar hosted the Asian Games in Doha.

The President of the Qatar Rugby Federation, Mr Yousef Al Kuwari, expressed his delight on achieving full membership status and said, “This is a momentous occasion for the Qatar Rugby Federation and a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in promoting and developing rugby in our country. We are excited to take our place amongst many other esteemed unions and contribute to the growth of this great sport.” Al Kuwari also shared the union’s plans, “Following the successful hosting of the Asia Rugby Division II Championship last week, we look forward to staging many more such events, thereby showcasing to the world the distinctive and exceptional offerings of Qatar.”

Nepal Rugby Association

The Nepal Rugby Association is one of the newest members of the Asia Rugby family, established in 1992. The association has worked hard to promote rugby in Nepal, a picturesque republic nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas.

The President of the Nepal Rugby Association, Dipak Devkota expressed his gratitude to World Rugby and its council for granting them full membership status and said, “The recognition bestowed upon us has provided a tremendous boost to the players, officials, and the entire rugby community in Nepal, inspiring us to further enhance the growth and development of rugby within our nation.”

The President of Asia Rugby concluded by expressing his commitment to upholding the guiding principles of Equality, Transparency, and Accountability and collaborating with and supporting the member unions. He said,
“Today, Nepal and Qatar have shown what can be achieved by working together and supporting one another. We can do better but TOGETHER”