The host broadcaster for the 2019 Rugby World Cup will be International Games Broadcast Services, World Rugby announced Tuesday.
IGBS, a partnership between HBS and IMG, will be responsible for the world feed delivery to rights holding broadcasters as well as production innovation and content production for the event.
"As we look ahead to Japan 2019, the scale of the host broadcast option and its integration into all aspects of tournament planning and fan experience means that the ability to deliver services in-house is an exciting opportunity, reflecting our ambition to build the brand and fan legacy between tournaments by ensuring an innovative and immersive approach to broadcast," World Rugby's head of broadcast Murray Barnett said in a statement.
Last year's World Cup in England delivered record broadcast figures, and Japan is set to break new ground as the competition's first host in Asia.
Around 59 million viewers in Japan tuned into last year's tournament. World Rugby is currently undergoing a process to appoint the local rights holders to ensure that more people across the nation have access to rugby in the build-up to the World Cup.