The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England is gearing up to be a landmark tournament, marking the tenth edition of the world championship. Scheduled from August 22 to September 27, 2025, it will begin with an opening game at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and conclude with the final at Twickenham Stadium.
- A total of 16 teams will compete, up from 12 in the previous tournament.
- 10 teams—New Zealand, England, France, Canada, Ireland, Australia, USA, South Africa, Scotland, Italy, and—have qualified by reaching the 2021 Rugby World Cup semi-finals or qualifying for the WXV competition.
- The tournament will feature 32 matches across 8 venues in England.
- This marks the second time England has hosted the women’s Rugby Union World Cup, the first being in 2010, and the fifth in the British Isles.
The qualification process for the remaining spots includes:
- Regional competitions in Asia and Oceania
- A playoff between Columbia and Brazil in South America
- WXV 3 winner and runner-up
Fans from the North East of England and beyond can catch the world’s top-ranked team, the Red Roses, in action on Friday, August 22. The final on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Twickenham promises a fitting climax to a tournament poised to captivate hearts and make global headlines, inspiring a new generation of fans, players, and partners through this thrilling event.
The venues for 2025 include:
- Brighton and Hove – Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium
- Bristol – Ashton Gate
- Exeter – Sandy Park
- London – Twickenham Stadium
- Manchester – Salford Community Stadium
- Northampton – Franklin’s Gardens
- Sunderland – Stadium of Light
- York – York Community Stadium
New Zealand enters the tournament as defending champions, having won against England in the 2021 Rugby World Cup Final. This expanded and highly anticipated edition of the Women’s Rugby World Cup is set to galvanize the sport’s global community.
Host Nation and Qualifiers
England, as the host nation, has automatically qualified for RWC 2025. Joining them with direct qualifications are Canada, France, and New Zealand, following their top-four finish at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand. Ireland secured their spot through their performance in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2024, and South Africa qualified by topping the Africa Cup.
Regional Competitions
In 2024, six teams will secure their RWC 2025 spots through regional competitions across Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and the cross-regional Pacific Four Series.
Women’s Six Nations 2024
Held from March 23 to April 27, this tournament highlighted fierce competition among Wales, Italy, Scotland, and Ireland—all ranked in the top 10 globally. With France and England already qualified, Ireland clinched the European qualification for RWC 2025.
Pacific Four Series 2024
Scheduled from April 28 to May 26, this series promises thrilling rugby with Australia and the USA competing for a qualification spot, given Canada and New Zealand’s prior qualifications. Under new coaches Jo Yapp and Sione Fukofuka respectively, both teams are set to make strong statements.
Africa Cup
Taking place in May, this competition featured top African teams like Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, and South Africa. South Africa claimed the regional qualifying spot after a strong performance, continuing their momentum from previous successes.
Asia Championships
From May 22 to June 1, Hong Kong China, Kazakhstan, and defending champions Japan will vie for qualification. Japan aims to continue their dominance after securing a spot in last year’s WXV 2.
Oceania Championships
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga will battle for Oceania’s qualifying spot in this fiercely competitive championship.
Sudamérica Rugby
Colombia and Brazil will contest for their first-ever Rugby World Cup qualification, building on their intense competition from last year’s Sudamérica play-off.
WXV Qualifications
The last chance for RWC 2025 qualification will be through WXV, a three-tier annual competition. The top six non-qualified teams at the end of WXV 2024 will secure their spots.
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