Rugby World Cup 2023: how to avoid scams?

Reading time: 0 minPublished on 30 May 2023, updated on 18 May 2023

The countdown is on. From 8 September to 21 October 2023, France will be hosting the 10th Rugby World Cup, with 9 host cities in the front line. To make the most of this opportunity and make your visit to Paris-Saint-Denis, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Lille or Saint-Etienne a success, follow this guide to good practice. Buying tickets, merchandising, accommodation, transport... We tell you everything you need to know to enjoy a competition out of the fray and avoid scams.

Tickets still available... but only one (re)sales site

For the 48 Rugby World Cup 2023 matches taking place in France from 8 September to 21 October 2023, 2.5 million tickets went on sale, first in packs and then individually. At the end of these different phases, an official resale platform was opened on 24 January 2023. Single tickets can be purchased on this platform. Please note that only tickets purchased on this site will guarantee access to the stadiums. To avoid disappointment, buy in complete safety on the dedicated site. Ticket holders wishing to resell one or more tickets legally and securely must also use this exclusive and official platform.

Good to know : - Tickets may be purchased and deposited for resale up to 24 hours before each match. Tickets are offered at the unit price, with a limit of 6 tickets per person. - By buying tickets outside the official channel, you run the risk of paying a much higher price for a ticket than its face value, buying a false ticket or an electronic ticket that is resold several times, or being refused access to the services sold. Report any attempt at fraud on the French fraud control platform SignalConso.

Official Hospitality offers to discover France

The France 2023 Organising Committee has set up an Official Hospitality Programme including match tickets and top-of-the-range services in each of the Rugby World Cup 2023 host cities (Paris-Saint-Denis, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Lille and Saint-Etienne). These Hospitalities, which offer the opportunity to enjoy personalised, local experiences that are as close as possible to the specific characteristics of each city, are still on sale. The products available and the local agents authorised to sell them are listed on an official and exclusive dedicated website. No other distribution channel is legal.

Good to know - An official France 2023 travel programme is offered to international visitors wishing to attend the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. A worldwide network of official travel agencies has been set up. It markets packages including match tickets. The list can be consulted on the Travel 2023 website. Any solicitation by third parties would be illegal.

Derivative products: beware of counterfeits

A range of official Rugby World Cup 2023 merchandise is available on the Shop 2023 website. Fans will also be able to buy official merchandise at the official tournament megastores opening in France, particularly in the host cities.

Good to know: - Buying counterfeit goods can be expensive, especially as they are often of poor quality. To identify official products, look out for the official Rugby World Cup 2023 hologram. This should be visible either directly on the product packaging or on the product label.

Find accommodation during the Rugby World Cup 2023

Are you in the starting blocks to take part in the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, have you bought tickets for one or more matches or are you simply coming to France to be at the heart of the event? All that remains is to find accommodation in Paris or in one of the host cities. If you haven't already done so, don't waste any time. Over 600,000 foreign visitors are expected in addition to the French fans who will be travelling to the various cities in France. Bed and breakfast, hotel, palace, youth hostel, furnished flat, campsite or mobile home, it's all possible. To find accommodation, turn to the tourist offices of the various host cities:

You can also go through a property rental agency or consult specialist websites.

Good to know: - Hotels are awarded stars differently from one country to another. A 3-star hotel in France may not meet the criteria for a 3-star hotel in another European country. To check the classification of your accommodation, visit the dedicated website published by Atout France, France's tourism development agency, which also publishes France.fr.

If you book a Voyage Officiel France 2023 with an approved travel agency, you can take advantage of the accommodation included. More information on the Travel 2023 website

Preparing to come to France!

Whatever mode of transport you choose to travel to France, make sure you know what formalities you need to complete. To find out whether a visa is required for your stay in France, all you have to do is fill in a few details on the official French visa website: France-Visas. And beware of fake administrative websites! Don't be fooled by the use of the Marianne® logo or the blue-white-red colours: some fake sites can look like official sites. Essential: check the site's Internet address (URL): French government URLs end in ".gouv.fr" or ".fr", never ".gouv.org", ".gouv.com" or "-gouv.fr". Please note that a ".fr" site does not guarantee that it is an official site.

Good to know : If you are travelling by plane to France as part of the Rugby World Cup 2023, you are protected in the event of a problem (delay, cancellation, overbooking) by European regulation 261/2004 if you are taking off from a European Union country, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or a non-EU country with a European airline. If you take off from a non-EU country with a non-EU airline, your rights depend on the rules established in the country of departure.

Tickets, accommodation, transport... you will find all the answers to your questions, the best practices to adopt and the people to contact in the event of a problem by consulting the frequently asked questions proposed by the French government