| Rugby union in the United States | |
|---|---|
 Air Force and Navy playing a match hosted by the Alamo City RFC (2006) | |
| Country | United States |
| Governing body | USA Rugby |
| National team(s) | United States |
| Nickname(s) | Eagles |
| First played | 1874 – Harvard v McGill |
| Registered players | 125,000[1] |
| Clubs | 2,673[2] |
National competitions | |
Audience records | |
| Single match | 61,500 (5 November 2016) Ireland vs New Zealand (Soldier Field, Chicago) |
| Season | 159,941 (average 2,133 per match) 2020 Major League Rugby season |
Rugby union in the United States (Almost always referred to as simply “Rugby”) is played at youth, high school, college, amateur, professional, and international levels and governed by USA Rugby. There were over 125,000 players registered with USA Rugby as of 2016.[1] Over 2,500 rugby union clubs exist around the country, including those who are part of college rugby. Professional club competition has existed as Major League Rugby (MLR) since 2017.
An international competition, the USA Sevens, is held every February at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, draws over 60,000 fans and is broadcast on NBC. The U.S. national team hosts international matches every June, with an attendance of around 20,000. Collegiately, the Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) is held every June at Talen Energy Stadium in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pennsylvania, draws around 20,000 fans and is broadcast on NBC.
- ^ a b "USA Rugby and Players Announced Partnership", USA Rugby, October 31, 2016.
- ^ "About USA Rugby". USA Rugby.