Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 enjoys record-breaking opening weekend

By James Reid, Sportsbeat

The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 enjoyed a record-breaking opening weekend, with over 4.6 million viewers tuning in to the first round of matches.

The weekend also saw over 85,000 fans attend a match, including 42,723 at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland as hosts England beat the USA 69-7 – the highest-ever attendance for a Women’s Rugby World Cup match.

The ever-growing appetite for the women’s game was also seen online, where 77 million video views were racked up on clips from the weekend’s action.

World Rugby toasted the historic weekend by closing the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with Brett Robinson, chair of World Rugby, and Sarah Massey, managing director for the tournament, pressing the button together to close the market.

“We had an amazing opening weekend, breaking records with our attendances. Up in Sunderland, we definitely launched that with a bang,” said Massey.

“To come here to the Stock Exchange and close it, we didn’t really know what to expect but what a fantastic display.

“It’s a real spectacle with everyone clapping and cheering as we pushed the button to close the market down.

“We knew the fans would love what we are doing and be energised by the content, but each team and each venue has brought their own personality.

“Each venue has been joyous and filled with colour, the atmosphere have been noisy throughout.”

While England’s Red Roses took the headlines with their opening Friday night victory, there were plenty of other countries that also made waves over the weekend.

Ireland made their World Cup return with an exciting 42-14 win over a resilient Japan side, while France, Canada, and New Zealand all earned wins as they eye deep runs in the tournament.

There was also a World Cup debut for Brazil, whose fans brought lots of colour and energy to Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens despite a 66-6 defeat to South Africa.

World Rugby’s Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox hailed a fantastic weekend of sport, and believes this year’s World Cup will be game-changing for the women’s game.

“I am still running off adrenaline, it was fabulous,” she reflected. “I have seen so much great rugby and spoken to so many fans, new to the game, old established fans.

“There’s an overwhelming feeling of pride; pride in the performances of the players on the pitch, those new teams that really stepped up in this expanded format.

“The quality of the rugby has really impressed me, the game is developing and there are some really fantastic athletes on show on the pitch.

“There were some brilliant tries and some really standout moments. It really is changing rugby, it is a generational moment.”

With more than 400,000 tickets already sold, and prices starting at just £5 for children and £10 for adults, fans are encouraged to secure their tickets now via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com