Image credit: Huw Evans Agency

A game-changing moment

The UK’s first hosting of the Wheelchair Rugby European Championship took the event and sport to a whole new level with a spectacular presentation in Cardiff’s iconic Principality Stadium.

The Welsh Government, Welsh Rugby Union, UK Sport, Disability Sport Wales, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and Cardiff Council pulled off the ambitious move from the event’s usual sports hall setting to the 74,000-seat arena. The event used the draw of one of rugby union’s most storied venues to attract new audiences to the wheelchair game and delivered an innovative event experience to educate new spectators and create a positive perception of Paralympic sport.

The electric atmosphere the event presentation created was key to its success. This included a dynamic players’ entrance tunnel and temporary big screens at either end of the pitch, as well as informative and entertaining match commentary.

Outside the stadium, the event was supported by an ambitious schools engagement programme to influence young people’s perceptions and understanding of disability sport, and encourage consideration of people with accessibility needs.

Read more: 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship (External Link)

Over 5,000

Spectator admissions

£536,000

Net additional spend into the Welsh economy

Average 112,000 viewers

watched the Channel 4 Live TV coverage on the Saturday and Sunday finals weekend

42,016

unique streaming viewers across the week

415

event attendees

78

volunteers

Over 7,000

children, teens and adults having an opportunity to try wheelchair rugby

1,500

school children from school across Wales and nearly 1,000 young people from the Street Games programmes attended the event