Manchester United’s minority owners INEOS has settled a sponsorship dispute with New Zealand Rugby (NZR).
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s petrochemical firm had been seeking to renegotiate their performance partnership with the governing body, which was stated as being worth £22million ($27m) when the six-year deal was announced in 2021.
On Monday evening, NZR and INEOS released a joint statement to announce the parties had reached an agreement to the dispute.
“New Zealand Rugby and INEOS can confirm that a settlement has been reached between the two parties,” it read.
“Whilst the details remain confidential, both organisations are satisfied with the outcome and acknowledge a desire to now move forward.”
The sponsorship agreement between INEOS and NZR saw the company’s branding appear on jerseys and other official clothing of all seven New Zealand rugby teams, including the senior men’s team the All Blacks and senior women’s side the Black Ferns — three and six-time World Cup-winners respectively — alongside the nation’s Maori team and sevens teams.
In mid-February, NZR alleged that INEOS had cut short their six-year long agreement by three years when they failed to pay the first instalment of their 2025 sponsorship fee. The body immediately signalled their intention…
