From the starting whistle in Sunderland to the final roar at Twickenham, the 2025 edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup was a pivotal event in the history of the sport. Hosted across eight stadiums in England, the event welcomed sixteen diverse nations and delivered five weeks of twists, sporting excellence, and passion.
A Triumph in Red and White
People have been calling it the “Summer of English women’s sport” – and what better way to clinch it than for the Red Roses to lift the trophy on home soil. In an assertive flourish and lifted by record-breaking crowds, the Red Roses stormed to their 33rd consecutive victory, defeating Canada 33-13 to claim the title.
Despite their final defeat, Canada’s second-place finish stood as their finest World Cup campaign to date, and fly-half Sophie de Goede was named World Rugby’s Player of the Year, a fitting accolade for her consistently dominant performances.
In the bronze medal match, New Zealand stepped up to defeat France 42-26, ending their World Cup showing on a high despite their loss to Canada, which removed the Black Ferns’ grip on the trophy as defending champions and ended a long 11-year World Cup winning streak. Despite falling short of their high expectations, new standout players in Jiorja Miller, who received a nomination for Player of the Year, and Braxton Sorensen-McGee, as top try-scorer and Breakthrough Player of the Year, were brought to the limelight as old stars such as Portia Woodman-Wickliffe stepped off the pitch for the final time, receiving a rousing send-off.
Elsewhere in the group stages, South Africa advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in their World Cup appearances, and Samoa captured the hearts of the nation with their pride and passion, scoring their first World Cup points in 11 years.
Sandy Park: Exeter’s Success Story
Here in Exeter, Sandy Park became a hive of activity for the World Cup action as the venue hosted the most matches, including two electrifying quarterfinals that saw every seat in the stadium sold.
Fans travelled from far and wide to visit the city and Exeter delivered in style, providing fan zones, shuttle buses and transport links that gave young fans, players, coaches and businesses a taste of life in Exeter.
Stellar Statistics
Across 32 matches, a total of 440,000 Tickets were brought and Twickenham’s sell-out crowd of 82,000 set a defining record as the game became the most-watched rugby match of the year.
The 2025 World Cup has done more than entertain- it has inspired.
These huge numbers are more than just statistics for show. They cement the statement of the tournament, which aimed to grow the game in the women’s field, echoing the tournament’s tagline, ‘This Energy Never Stops.’ With such commanding audiences, women’s rugby has transcended from micro appeal to prove capable of drawing mass attention on a global stage. It sends a clear message to sponsors, broadcasters and sporting bodies that investment in the women’s game isn’t a supplementary gesture but rather a chance for real, purposeful change.
The 2025 World Cup has done more than entertain- it has inspired. The increased exposure of the women’s game has undoubtedly strengthened grassroots interest, paving the way for thousands of young rugby players. With this momentum, recruitment pathways will be strengthened and more clubs introduced, which will spark the expansion of domestic leagues and build solid foundations that will only grow the game further.
Making History
The tournament was a spark that has ignited a new era of the women’s game, continuing its transformation from an aspiring niche into a mainstream force. This milestone of evolution should become a moment to inspire and unite, and prove once again that when women’s sport is given the platform it deserves, it delivers.
