Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 confirms opening and closing venues

Sunderland’s Stadium of Light will play host to England’s Red Roses in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, while Twickenham Stadium will look to set a new attendance record at the final, World Rugby and the RFU have announced.

Up to 49,000 fans from the North East of England and beyond will have a golden opportunity to watch England, the world’s number one ranked team, in action on the evening of Friday 22nd August as they kick off the tenth edition of the pinnacle event, which has been expanded to 16 teams.

Organisers hope Twickenham’s hosting of the final on Saturday 27th September 2025 will be a symbolic and fitting finale to a tournament that aims to capture hearts and headlines around the world. In doing so, the hope is to smash the 58,498 attendance record by selling out one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues.

For the first time ever, the expanded showcase event will be hosted across eight venues and cities around the country with 16 teams competing to be crowned world champions.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 will be a generational moment for rugby. The biggest, most accessible and most widely-viewed, its unstoppable momentum will reach, engage and inspire new audiences in ways that rugby events have not done before.

“The selection of Sunderland for the opening match underscores that mission. We want this to be a sports event that everyone is talking about, that everyone wants to be a part of and one that inspires young people to be a part of.”

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

Commercial demand also continues to grow with four official partners – Mastercard, Capgemini, Gallagher and Mitsubishi Electric – already on board for England 2025.