The Rugby World Cup in England is on track to set a historic milestone for women’s rugby, with the final at Twickenham poised to attract more than 80,000 spectators and a sell-out crowd confirmed by tournament organizers. The news comes as organizers announced that ticket sales across all 32 matches at eight venues have surpassed 375,000, with the tournament kicking off this Friday when host England meets the United States at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
Selling out Twickenham for the September 27 showpiece has long been a target, and organizers have achieved that goal even before the action begins. The previous stand-alone women’s rugby attendance record was 66,000 set at the Paris 2024 Olympic Sevens final, underscoring the rapid growth and interest in the sport.
Gill Whitehead, chair of Women’s RWC 2025, told reporters she is confident the final will be the most watched and attended women’s rugby match in history, easily eclipsing the Paris 2024 crowd. She noted that England hosted the event five years earlier, remembering the final being held at the Stoop with a much smaller crowd, and spoke of the dream becoming a vivid reality as girls’ rugby continues to rise.
England’s Red Roses have been a dominant force, losing only once in 58 matches in recent years—a 2022 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand—though they have fallen in five of the last six World Cup finals to the Black Ferns. Despite that recent history, tournament organizers say the 2025 event is set to be an unmissable celebration for fans of the sport, with Sarah Massey, World Cup managing director, promising record attendances, viewership and engagement. Massey highlighted that 375,000 tickets have already been sold across all matches, three times the number sold for the last edition, and urged fans not to miss out.
In addition to Twickenham, matches will be staged in Brighton, Bristol, Exeter, Northampton, Salford and York, helping to spread the festival across multiple venues and bring the women’s game to new and existing rugby communities.
As a broader sign of growing support for women’s sport, partners and organizers are also leveraging the event to promote financial health and participation. Notably, HSBC has been designated as the Official Retail Bank for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, reinforcing long-standing ties between the bank and World Rugby and aligning financial literacy and community outreach with the tournament’s goals.
Looking ahead, the tournament is sweeping in high levels of anticipation as fans and players prepare for a landmark edition that could redefine the reach of women’s rugby. The final at Twickenham, a potential crowd of over 80,000 and a total ticket take of more than 375,000 across the event, points to a turning point in the sport’s global profile and a hopeful sign for future growth.
Summary: The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is shaping up to be a record-breaking event, with Twickenham expected to host a sell-out final of 80,000-plus and total ticket sales exceeding 375,000 across eight venues. The tournament promises to be a major milestone for women’s rugby, underscored by strong performance data, expanded venue footprint, and growing fan engagement.
Extra value and context:
– The event’s momentum is reinforced by historical performances and the narrative around England’s status as hosts and favorites, alongside New Zealand’s recent World Cup success in finals history.
– The HSBC partnership as Official Retail Bank adds a notable corporate support layer and aligns with a broader push for financial wellness initiatives tied to women’s sports.
– The expansion to multiple venues beyond London reflects a strategy to cultivate regional rugby communities and broaden access to top-level women’s rugby.
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