Women's Rugby World Cup already exceeding expectations

Leader Live

14-05-2025

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is already exceeding expectations with 100 days to go until the tournament kicks off, says tournament director Sarah Massey.
More than 300,000 tickets had already been sold before the latest round of ticket sales began on Wednesday morning.
It means that the tournament has already sold more than double the total number of tickets bought for the previous edition in New Zealand three years ago.
'We are exceeding expectations across all of our objectives,' Massey said. 'So everything that we set out to do, the ambition that we had, we are exceeding that.
'With 100 days to go, there is still a lot of work to do. We are busy working with all our host locations, our stakeholders, with the RFU on our legacy programme, with UK Sport.
'There are a huge number of people involved in what we are trying to do and trying to achieve, but we are ahead of expectations and are really excited for what is going to happen in a few months.'
The tournament begins on 22 August with hosts England taking on the USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, one of two non-rugby stadiums to be used across the 2025 edition.
The success of the tournament means that the opener is the only game remaining with tickets to watch England in the group stages of the tournament.
The final on 27 September has also sold out of its allocation, meaning there is a potential to sell out the venue for a women's match for the first time ever.
Massey added: 'Ticket sales have been amazing, the fact that we have sold this many tickets this far out from the event and have still got 100 days to go.
'Obviously, when we get to those knockout stages, we don't know which teams will be in those knockout stages, but when we do know where those teams fall, there will be lots more tickets being bought.
'We went on sale at 9am on Wednesday morning, and there were already thousands in the ticket queue before the platform opened.
'We know the momentum the ticket sales are gaining across our eight iconic host locations across the country, and those communities are getting involved and building excitement. It is going to be incredible.'
Massey was speaking as the new Women's Rugby World Cup trophy was revealed at Battersea Power Station.
The new and bigger trophy is another example of the greater investment and interest in women's rugby.
She said: 'This tournament will be era-defining in terms of the profile it gets on the BBC, it will be era-defining in terms of the standard we have been able to provide for those players and teams once they get here.
'We have been raising standards, making sure that we can provide the platform that they can thrive and perform at their best.
'We have got 16 teams who are all busy preparing and putting in so much work to be at their best when they are here.
'And it is going to be era-defining in terms of the number of people we have now engaged in women's rugby.
'Whether this is as an official, as a coach, as a player, or just want to engage as a fan and engage with so many of our powerful personalities that we have.'
Tickets are on sale now. Buy yours today to secure your place at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025.