Las Leonas Secure Contracts for the First Time Ahead of Rugby World Cup 2025

Spain Takes a Historic Step: First-Ever Player Contracts for Las Leonas

For the first time in history, Spain is offering financial support to its women’s national rugby team, Las Leonas, through six-month bursaries. With the 2025 Rugby World Cup on the horizon, the Real Federación Española de Rugby (RFER) has introduced a financial support system for 32 players, ensuring they can fully commit to training and preparation ahead of the tournament in England.

While these are not full professional contracts, they mark a significant shift for Spain’s women’s rugby program. The RFER has stated that this is a stepping stone towards a fully professional structure, similar to those in England, France, and New Zealand.

A Legacy of Success, Now Backed by Financial Support

Las Leonas have a long and proud history in women’s rugby. The national team played its first international match in 1989 against France and quickly became a force in European rugby. Spain was part of the Women’s Five and Six Nations from 2000 to 2006, finishing as high as third place multiple times before being replaced by Italy in 2007. This decision significantly reduced their opportunities to play against top-tier opposition.

Since then, Spain has dominated the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship, winning 11 titles, including a streak of consecutive victories from 2019 to 2024. Despite being outside the Six Nations, they have remained one of the most competitive teams in Europe, often challenging Tier 1 nations when given the chance.

Now, with the introduction of these bursaries, Spanish rugby is making a long-overdue investment in its women’s team. The financial support will allow players to focus fully on rugby in the lead-up to the World Cup, providing stability and a professional environment that has been lacking in previous campaigns.

What Do the Contracts Look Like?

The RFER has introduced three tiers of financial support, based on a player’s current professional status. Players will continue training under the national coaching staff at Spain’s high-performance academies in Seville, Madrid, and Barcelona, with a structured system for monitoring, physical preparation, and ongoing development.

These agreements will run from March through September, covering essential living expenses so that players can train full-time. The goal is to create optimal conditions ahead of the Rugby World Cup while laying the foundation for long-term professional contracts in the future.

“This is a huge step forward,” said Spain captain Laura Delgado. “We still have a long way to go to reach a fully professional level, but this gives us a real foundation. The focus now is to build on this momentum and keep pushing for more.”

Spain’s Return to the Rugby World Cup

Las Leonas secured their return to the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 2017, qualifying in September. Their best-ever finish came in 1991, when they placed 6th in the tournament.

At the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England, Spain has been drawn into a challenging pool. They will open their campaign against defending champions New Zealand on August 24, followed by crucial matches against Ireland (August 31) and Japan (September 7).

To prepare, the team has scheduled 11 matches in the lead-up to the tournament, including a five-week training camp, the Rugby Europe Championship, a summer tour to Japan, and a match against England A in August.

A Nation Investing in the Future

Spain currently sits at 13th in the World Rugby Rankings (as of March 2025), just behind South Africa and Japan. They have over 200 women’s rugby clubs across the country and a structured league system similar to the men’s competition.

Women’s rugby in Spain traces back to the 1970s, when groups of women began playing unofficial matches in Madrid and Barcelona before the game spread to Valencia and the Basque Country. Despite financial struggles and limited access to elite competitions, Spain has remained a respected force in international rugby.

Now, with financial backing for their top players, Spain is taking a step toward a more sustainable and competitive future. These bursaries may not be full contracts yet, but they mark a turning point in the professionalization of women’s rugby in Spain.

And with Las Leonas heading into the biggest Rugby World Cup in history, the timing couldn’t be better.