A landmark encounter marking 20 years of Qatar Airways operations to South Africa
Qatar Airways is proud to announce the 3rd edition of the Qatar Airways Cup, an event that has quickly become an exciting staple in the global rugby calendar. The match will see reigning Rugby World Cup Champions South Africa face the famous British-based Barbarians FC at DHL Stadium, Cape Town, on Saturday, 28 June 2025. It will be the first-ever men’s teams clash between the two sides on South African soil.
The event, hosted in collaboration with Pitch International, forms part of the airline’s growing footprint in global rugby, and complements the airline’s title sponsorships of the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) competitions, as well as the upcoming Qatar Airways Lions Tour to Australia later in 2025.
Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. 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.”
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: Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg. Qatar Airways recently strengthened its commitment to Africa through a partnership and strategic stake acquisition in Airlink, one of southern Africa’s leading airlines – further enhancing connectivity and choice across the region.
The Barbarians, famed for their free-flowing and entertaining style of rugby, will feature an international selection of top players and be coached by former New Zealand professional, Robbie Deans. This match will offer Springboks the ideal preparation for their 2025 international season, while fans can expect a festival of rugby at one of South Africa’s most iconic stadiums.
With huge demand for this blockbuster matchup, tickets for the Qatar Airways Cup are selling out fast, and are available via Ticketmaster.
The Qatar Airways Cup continues the airline’s tradition of supporting world-class sporting events as part of its broader mission to connect people through sport, culture, and adventure. The Qatar Airways Cup is part of an extensive portfolio of high-profile global sports partnerships, including the likes of UEFA, AFC, Paris-Saint Germain (PSG), FC Internazionale Milano, Tennis Legend – Novak Djokovic, The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Formula 1®, MotoGP, the IRONMAN Triathlon Series, the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), French Rugby Team – Section Paloise, The British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia 2025, The Brooklyn Nets NBA Team, and multiple other disciplines including Australian football, equestrian, motor racing, padel, squash, and tennis.