London, UK, August 30, 2025
The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has had a record-breaking start, surpassing the 2021 tournament’s total viewership figures in just its opening weekend. The tournament, being held in the UK, has seen a massive surge in both attendance and broadcast viewership, confirming the growing appetite for women’s rugby.
Record-Breaking Opening Weekend
The opening round of matches drew an audience of over 4.6 million viewers across the BBC’s platforms, a figure that exceeds the entire reach of the previous World Cup, which was played in 2022. This impressive number was led by host nation England’s opening victory over the USA, which attracted a peak television audience of 2.4 million in the UK on BBC One. Other matches also drew significant numbers, with Scotland’s win over Wales peaking at 1.2 million viewers.
The excitement wasn’t limited to television screens. The tournament has already set a new attendance record, with over 85,000 fans attending the first eight group games. England’s match against the USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland set a new record for the highest attendance at a Women’s Rugby World Cup match, with a crowd of 42,723. The impressive turnout and viewership figures confirm that this year’s tournament is on track to be the biggest and best in history.
Growing Global Passion
Beyond the UK, the tournament’s popularity is also evident in other countries. The match between France and Italy, for example, drew 3.2 million viewers on TF1 in France. Additionally, the event has seen record-breaking engagement online, with over 77 million video views and 3.6 million engagements across digital channels, surpassing the total from the previous tournament in New Zealand three years ago. The strong start is a clear indication that the women’s game is rapidly developing and drawing a global audience.
The success of the opening weekend has not only generated significant momentum for the rest of the tournament but also signals a major turning point for women’s sport as a whole.
