Chris Stanley is the Managing Director of Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 – rugby union’s pinnacle event, contested every four years by the world’s best nations. The forthcoming tournament will mark a new era for the competition, with an expanded 24-team format and 52 matches staged across seven Host Cities from 1 October – 13 November 2027.

As Managing Director, Chris oversees all local planning, operations and delivery of the tournament in Australia. His role focuses on bringing the event to life across Host Cities, Match Venues, engaging fans nationwide and ensuring the tournament leaves a lasting legacy by inspiring a new generation of supporters and accelerating the growth for rugby across Australia, Oceania, and around the world.

Prior to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, Chris served as CEO for MI Global Partners, where he became a leading expert in the planning and delivery of major international sporting events. Over a career spanning more than 25 years, he has managed high-profile projects and contributed to the bidding, planning and delivery of Olympic Games, Asian Games, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games and every Rugby World Cup since 2003.