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Women's Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup 2025 host cities and venues confirmed

By Lucy Lomax

22 Aug 2023

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Marlie Packer of England and teammates celebrate with the TikTok Women's Six Nations trophy following the TikTok Women's Six Nations match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium on April 29, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

World Rugby and the RFU have confirmed the host cities and venues with two years to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

The tenth edition of the women’s global tournament is set to take place between 22nd August and 27th September 2025 with the selection of cities and venues, representing the core vision to create a celebration of women’s rugby across England.

With the tournament due to host its biggest ever allocation of competing teams, increasing from 12 to 16, it is set to be the biggest-ever celebration of women’s rugby the game has ever seen.

Following a competitive selection process, eight venues and cities have been chosen by World Rugby and the RFU including:

Brighton and Hove – Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium

Bristol – Ashton Gate

Exeter – Sandy Park

London – Twickenham Stadium

Manchester – Salford Community Stadium (*subject to final confirmation)

Northampton – Franklin’s Gardens

Sunderland – Stadium of Light

York – York Community Stadium

While the full match schedule and ticketing details will be announced next year, the milestone two-year celebration and confirmation of dates and venues provides the ability for fans across England to start to plan their Rugby World Cup 2025 experience.

Independent Chair of the Rugby World Cup 2025 Board of Directors, Gill Whitehead, said: “Rugby World Cup 2025 represents the beginning of an exciting new future for Rugby World Cups as the first event to be held under a new delivery model with World Rugby and the RFU in partnership, working alongside the UK Government and we look forward to working together closely over the next two years.

“The host cities and venues have been selected with accessibility in mind. No matter where you live in England, you should be within reach of a match. All the cities selected have demonstrated they share the same passion for the tournament and are committed in joining us on our mission to deliver the biggest and best women’s Rugby World Cup yet.”

Canada, England, France and New Zealand have already qualified for Rugby World Cup 2025 after finishing in the top four of RWC 2021, with the remaining positions to be filled via World Rugby’s new women’s international 15s tournament, WXV, and regional competitions in 2024.

A full venue guide can be found here.

Click here to register for the Rugby World Cup 2025 newsletter

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Comments

4 Comments

Ross 486 days ago

The biggest con ever for the RWC to be played in England in 2025. New Zealand hosted in 2022 the first time ever that RWC has been hosted in the southern hemisphere which was the most successful RWC in terms of numbers attending and the outstanding games played. A subtle reminder is that NZ won 5 RWC in the northern hemisphere and the sixth in NZ. Expect the unexpected from NZ in 2025!

BeeJay 487 days ago

No Welford Road or Kingsholm?

Pecos 488 days ago

You just know the English are going to put on a stunner of a RWC2025. Can't wait.

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 13 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 19 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 27 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 28 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 35 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 40 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 40 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 44 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 49 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 52 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour