BIGGEST EVER UK LGBTQ RUGBY TOURNAMENT STARTS TODAY IN BIRMINGHAM

The Tournament will officially start this evening at Birmingham Town Hall with an opening ceremony and welcome to participants and supporters who have made the journey to Birmingham to compete. It is hoped that the rugby festival, considered Europe’s premier marquee inclusive rugby tournament, will build on the success of the Commonwealth Games when it takes place at Perry Barr’s Pavilion stadium, with matches starting tomorrow at 10 am and running all across the weekend.

A huge number of spectators are predicted to be watching the sporting action from the sidelines over the weekend, this year’s tournament will also see the return of the Women’s programme with women from across Europe not only competing in the tournament but engaging in a masterclass training day taken by Ex-England and World Cup Winning coaches, Graham Smith and Gary Street.

James Anthony, Chair of the Birmingham Union Cup Organising Committee said; “Birmingham is known for being a progressive and inclusive city – both to live in and work in. The IGR Union Cup tournament is an opportunity to also show the world that it’s also the number one city to play LGBTQ sports in, too”.

With a central theme of the tournament being ‘One Love’, the IGR Union Cup 2023 will be the first time the European LGBTQ+ rugby community and allies have come together in four years having been postponed from 2021 due to COVID. Birmingham is the ninth host city of the tournament and organisers are building on the legacy of the 2019 Union Cup in Dublin.

To find out more or to get spectator tickets for this weekend, visit https://unioncuprugby.com and www.birminghambullsrfc.com or search for IGR Union Cup Rugby on social media.