Gibraltar Rugby set for its next international as they prepare for Sweden in March

Gibraltar rugby is preparing for its next major international friendly, with Sweden confirmed as the next opponents on March 21.
The fixture, scheduled to take place at the Europa Sports Stadium, will be Gibraltar’s second friendly international since obtaining membership of Rugby Europe last December.
As associate members, the Gibraltar Rugby Association is required to provide evidence that it is forming a national team and has a structured development plan in place if it is to apply successfully for full membership within the next two years.
Gibraltar has already shown it is more than ready for this step, having fielded a national squad consistently in recent years. Its development pathway is now firmly in place and includes training camps in the UK for players based there, with particular focus on youth players studying in the UK. These measures have demonstrated Gibraltar Rugby’s readiness to compete at a higher level and move beyond novice status on the international stage.
That intent was underlined by Gibraltar’s victory against Finland in its first official friendly international under Rugby Europe membership, which set the tone for what lies ahead.
Sweden, however, will present a significantly greater challenge. Competing in the Rugby Europe Trophy division — two levels below the Six Nations — Sweden has been playing international rugby since 1949, making their debut against Denmark in a 6–0 victory. They joined World Rugby in 1988 and have since won several Rugby Europe divisional groups, along with five Nordic Cups, although Rugby World Cup qualification has so far eluded them.
Sweden enjoyed an unbeaten campaign throughout 2024 and have finished runners-up in the Rugby Europe Trophy division on three consecutive occasions, only losing out to Switzerland and Poland. This consistency places them among the top 30 rugby nations in Europe.
A strong performance against such opposition would further cement Gibraltar’s growing reputation on the international stage.
Officials remain confident that Gibraltar will continue to gain recognition internationally, not only through performances on the pitch but also through its facilities and growing support base. The first international friendly at the Europa Sports Stadium attracted more than 700 spectators despite minimal promotion, a turnout that has injected optimism for the future.
While elite rugby events such as the Six Nations attract crowds in the tens of thousands, lower-tier international fixtures typically struggle to surpass attendances of 500 to 1,000. Gibraltar’s ability to already reach those figures is seen as a key factor that could support its progression within the sport.
Facilities have also been highlighted as a major strength. The Europa Sports Stadium has already received praise from the Rugby Europe General Secretary during a recent visit. Shared with football and licensed under UEFA’s high standards, the venue is viewed as an important asset that could make Gibraltar an attractive host for international events.
The match against Sweden will also serve as a testing ground off the field. Scheduled just six days before Gibraltar football’s Nations League play-off against Latvia, the stadium will be required to host two major international sporting events within the space of a week.
The turnaround involved in converting the pitch from rugby markings back to football within such a short timeframe will be closely monitored. With Lathbury Sports Stadium considered unsuitable for international rugby — due to fire exits being too close to the touchline and pitch dimensions falling short of international requirements — the shared use of the Europa Sports Stadium will become increasingly crucial while the national stadium remains under construction.
Rugby officials have indicated to this newspaper that discussions with the Gibraltar Football Association are ongoing and have been positive. While this newspaper understands through sources within both rugby and football that differences of opinion do exist — notably regarding requests to sink goalposts into the ground for rugby matches, which have been denied by the GFA due to player safety and liability concerns — these issues have not hindered cooperation between the two associations.
Although some complaints have been voiced within the wider rugby community, this has not been the position of the association’s executive. Officials have emphasised that relations between the two governing bodies remain constructive and that, despite differing requirements, both are working proactively to find practical solutions within the limitations of shared facilities.
Speaking to this newspaper in an interview based on football, the Gibraltar FA General Secretary Ivan Robba was also to highlight how co-operation was taking place. Asked to clarify the terms under which the funding to build the stadium had been made under and any agreements he was to respond, “There were no formal, signed agreements with the Government on the use of Lathbury or the Europa Sports Complex. What did exist was an understanding: the funding provided by the association was used to build facilities intended for football; and that did happen.
Over time, we have been advocating strongly for greater access to these facilities because the demand is enormous. We now have more than 2,500 active members, and the need for pitches is substantial.
We are now working closely with Government and other sports to increase shared use where possible, while prioritising football, which was a key part of the understanding with UEFA when funding was provided for these facilities.”