The Qatar Airways Cup will be up for grabs when the Barbarians take on the Springboks in an historic clash on Saturday, 28 June at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
It will be the third edition of the Qatar Airways Cup, an event that has quickly become an exciting staple on the global rugby calendar. The Springboks won both previous encounters for the trophy, against New Zealand in 2023 and Wales last year, both in London but next month’s clash will be the first time the Barbarians have featured.
The event, forms part of the airline’s growing footprint in global rugby, complementing Qatar Airways’ sponsorships of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) competitions, as well as the forthcoming Qatar Airways Lions Tour to Australia, later in 2025.
The Barbarians are renowned for their flair, creativity and international diversity, and will be coached by the highly experienced and respected Robbie Deans. The squad will feature stars from the Vodacom URC, French Top 14, English Premiership, Super Rugby, and the Japanese League. Three Test centurions were announced last week and will make their Barbarians debut, including Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray alongside All Black Sam Cane.
The Qatar Airways Cup clash will mark the ninth meeting between the Springboks and the famous black-and-white-clad Barbarians, and their first encounter since an exciting 31-31 draw at Wembley Stadium in London on 5 November 2016.
Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “We are thrilled to introduce the Qatar Airways Cup to Cape Town for the first time, a city we have proudly served for two decades.
“Rugby has a rich heritage in South Africa, uniting communities across continents, and this match between two of the sport’s most storied teams is a fitting celebration of that spirit.
“Alongside our global partnerships with the URC, EPCR, and the Qatar Airways Lions Tour to Australia, this landmark fixture deepens our commitment to growing rugby’s global reach while connecting fans through seamless travel experiences.”
The Qatar Airways Cup celebrates a series of milestones for the airline, as it commemorates 20 years of operations to South Africa in 2025. The airline connects passengers with 28 weekly flights to three key gateways in the country – Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Pitch International to bring this landmark fixture to South Africa, and to Qatar Airways for their support.”
Tickets for the Qatar Airways Cup are selling fast and a capacity crowd is expected come match day. Tickets are selling fast – Don’t miss out – Secure your tickets online today at Ticketmaster.co.za
