Rugby supporters coming to France this month for the world cup are being urged by their respective governments to take precautions to avoid problems during travel or at matches.
The UK, Ireland and Australia have all issued web pages with tips to help their nationals make the most of the occasion, which is the first time the Rugby World Cup has been held entirely in France.
Among other key points as the cup kicks off this Friday are to check that you have appropriate travel insurance (Britons should also check the validity of their Ehics or obtain a new Ghic card) and make sure that your passport is valid for travel into the EU.
Passports should be valid for three months after the date you will leave France and the EU. They should not have been issued more than ten years ago on the date you enter.
Britons in particular should note that if their passport was issued before October 1, 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date, which are no longer valid for travel to the EU.
British ambassador Dame Menna Rawlings said that at least 150,000 people from the UK are known to have bought tickets, so the British Embassy in Paris is “expecting a very big presence of fans supporting one of the four nations represented by our teams”.
She added: “It’s a big event for France, a fantastic moment in the relationships between the two countries because rugby is such a shared passion.
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Dame Menna also advised supporters to “follow the advice of the local French authorities, get to the stadiums early, check what you can and can’t take in, and then sit back and enjoy the rugby”.
Britons can see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france for further tips, including how to check your passport validity. This site now has a dedicated section on the Rugby World Cup. You can also sign up to it to receive email alerts.
Those needing urgent consular help in France should call 01 44 51 31 00 or approach French officials and tell them they are British and are looking to speak to the consulate.
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The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has published a leaflet with tips and key contact details at Ireland.ie/rwc, including an emergency Rugby World Cup phone line.
The Australian government’s website also has tips for its nationals, including details on travel within the host cities.
US travel advice for France can be found at this link.
Those attending the rugby from any country, may also find it useful to download the Rugby World Cup 2023 app.
Meanwhile, the Signal Conso app, which helps consumers report problems with traders and businesses in France, is now available in English and French just in time for the event.
See all the key dates for the Rugby World Cup here:
To see the picture in high resolution, follow this link.
