The Cook Islands Rugby League (CIRL) team has announced a sponsorship deal with 4XC, a forex brokerage firm based in the Cook Islands.

The deal will see 4XC, one of CIRL’s sponsors, support the national rugby league teams for the upcoming Pacific Championships competition, which will be held in October 2023 and 2024.

CIRL president Charles Carlson said the sponsorship was a “major boost” for the team and would help them to prepare for the Pacific Championships.

“Cook Islands Rugby League team is grateful for the generous support from 4XC towards our national squad. This will help CIRL at the upcoming Pacific Test against PNG and Fiji in October, which will be played in PNG,” Carlson said.

“We are also grateful for the support that 4XC provided as one of our sponsors for the Rugby League World Cup held in England last year.”

4XC executive director Ricky Bishop said the sponsorship was a “natural fit” for the two organisations.

“At 4XC, we understand that success in the forex market is not just about numbers on a screen; it’s about making calculated decisions, navigating complexities, and embracing opportunities,” Bishop said.

“Similarly, rugby demands precision, teamwork, and the pursuit of victory against all odds. The Cook Islands Rugby League team exemplifies these qualities, making them a natural fit for our sponsorship.

“We extend our gratitude to the Cook Islands Rugby League team for joining hands with us, and to all those who have made this collaboration possible. As the team strives for success in the Pacific Championships competition, they carry with them the collective support of 4XC and its community. 

“As the only Forex brokerage firm operating and licensed in the Cook Islands, 4XC offers the highest standards in financial services and a secure online platform to traders investing in the foreign exchange markets. 4XC is a trademark of 4xCube Ltd, licensed and regulated by the FSC (Financial Supervisory Commission) since 2018.”

Six men’s teams and seven women’s teams will take part in the 2023 tournament across two pools, which will begin on October 14. The men’s tournaments will culminate in finals in Hamilton, New Zealand, and Port Moresby on November 4-5.

The 2023 Championships will include two match days in Australia, two in New Zealand and four in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The Pacific Championships will be staged in 2023 and 2024, after the NRL and NRLW Premiership seasons, and will include men’s and women’s teams from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Cook Islands.

The CIRL team is also preparing for the upcoming Pacific Games, which will be held in the Solomon Islands in November. The team will be taking both their men’s and women’s teams to the Games.

Carlson said: “We understand the challenges and the responsibilities with major events. Sometimes it requires a leap of faith to seize these opportunities to benefit our players, CIRL and the Cook Islands.”
In addition to sponsorships, CIRL will be hosting an Auction Night on Thursday, August 24 and a Golf Ambrose on Friday, September 1 in order to raise funds for the Pacific Games.

Fixtures (Pacific Championships)

Week One – October 14-15: Australia v Samoa (men) and Australia v New Zealand (women) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville; PNG v Cook Islands (men) and Samoa v Fiji (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.

Week Two – October 21-22: New Zealand v Samoa (men) and New Zealand v Tonga (women) at Eden Park, Auckland; Fiji v Cook Islands (men) and PNG v Cook Islands (women) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.

Week Three – October 28-29: Australia v New Zealand (men and women) at AAMI Park, Melbourne; PNG v Fiji (men) at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.

Week Four – November 4-5: The Final of the men’s Pacific Cup tournament on November 4 in Hamilton, New Zealand; The Final of the men’s Pacific Bowl tournament on November 5 at Santos Stadium, Port Moresby.