World Rugby has announced the pools for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the two Pacific Islands teams face tough challenges in England if they hope to advance to the knockout stages.
Samoa finds itself in pool A, alongside World No. 1 and host nation England, as well as Australia (ranked 5) and the USA (ranked 9). Meanwhile, Fiji has been placed in pool B with Canada (ranked 2), Scotland (ranked 8), and Wales (ranked 10).
Defending champions the Black Ferns will compete in pool C, where they will face Ireland, Japan, and Spain. Pool D features France, Italy, South Africa, and Brazil, rounding out the 16-team tournament.
Over three weekends, teams will face each of their pool opponents, with the two highest-ranked teams from each pool advancing to the quarterfinals.
Samoa earned qualification for their first Women’s Rugby World Cup since 2014 by finishing third in the WXV 3 competition.
World Rugby will unveil the fixtures for the tournament, scheduled from August 22 to September 27, 2025, on Tuesday, October 22, via the tournament website.
“With anticipation building among fans and teams for next year’s showcase event, today marks an important milestone for what promises to be an unforgettable tournament,” said Sarah Massey, Managing Director of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. She added, “Next week, we will celebrate another exciting moment by revealing the match schedule, enabling fans, host locations, and teams to begin preparing for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 experience.”