Ineos Group dropped its sponsorship of New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team as part of cost-savings measures in face of difficult trading conditions in Europe’s chemicals industry, the company said.

Manchester United co-owner Ineos has been accused of failing to honour a sponsorship agreement with New Zealand Rugby. The federation responsible for the All Blacks team says it has launched legal action against the chemicals firm founded by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe after alleging that the first instalment of 2025 sponsorship money due under a six-year agreement struck in 2021 had not been paid.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has launched legal action against INEOS, the petrochemical company which owns a minority stake in Manchester United, after it allegedly cut short a long-term sponsorship agreement.