2025 Rugby World Cup

Last updated
2025 Rugby World Cup
2025 Women's RWC Logo.svg
Tournament details
Host nationFlag of England.svg  England
Dates22 August – 27 September 2025
No. of nations16
← 2021
2029 →

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will be the tenth edition of the women's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams, organised by World Rugby. It is scheduled to take place in England between 22 August and 27 September 2025. The opening game will take place at the Stadium of Light with the final scheduled to be held at Twickenham Stadium. [1] [2]

Contents

It will be the second women's Rugby Union World Cup to be hosted by England, after the 2010 edition. It will be the fifth hosted in the British Isles.

The tournament will be expanded to 16 teams, from the 12 which participated in 2021. [3]

New Zealand enter the tournament as defending champions following their victory against England in the 2021 Rugby World Cup Final. [4]

Host selection

On 13 August 2020 World Rugby announced that the hosting rights to the next two world cups, men's and women's, would be selected during the same process. [5] These were the 2027 and 2031 men's tournaments and the 2025 and 2029 women's tournaments. The RFU confirmed their intent to bid for the 2025 tournament in October 2021. [6]

World Rugby awarded England preferred candidate status for the 2025 tournament in November 2021. [7] England were confirmed as hosts on 13 May 2022. [8]

Venues

In August 2023, eight venues were confirmed for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. [9] [10]

London Sunderland Brighton and Hove Bristol
Twickenham Stadium Stadium of Light Ashton Gate
Capacity: 82,000Capacity: 49,000Capacity: 31,876Capacity: 27,000
Twickenham Stadium - May 2012 (cropped).jpg Stadium of light Haway the lads.jpg Falmer Stadium - main stand.jpg Ashton Gate - Lansdown Stand (cropped).jpg
Exeter Northampton Manchester York
Sandy Park Franklin's Gardens York Community Stadium
Capacity: 15,600Capacity: 15,249Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 8,500
Sandy Park 3 - geograph-376587 (cropped).jpg Northampton v Worcester 2017 cropped.jpg Salford City Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 3076639 (cropped).jpg LNER Community Stadium (cropped).jpg

Teams

Qualifying

Sixteen teams will compete. Four teams automatically qualified by reaching the 2021 Rugby World Cup semi-finals. Six of the remaining twelve spots will be decided though the 2024 Six Nations, 2024 Pacific Four Series and regional competitions in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America, while the 2024 WXV will determine the final six places. [11] [12]

In Europe, Ireland reached their eighth World Cup after taking the region's qualifying place by defeating Scotland in the final round of the 2024 Women's Six Nations Championship. [13] In Africa, South Africa qualified for their fifth world cup after beating Madagascar in the final round of the 2024 Rugby Africa Women's Cup. [14] The United States made their tenth world cup after New Zealand defeated Australia in the final game of the 2024 Pacific Four Series. [15] In Asia, Japan qualified for their seventh World Cup after beating Kazakstan in the second game of the 2024 Asia Rugby Women's Championship. [16] Fiji qualified as Oceania 1 after winning the 2024 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. [17] [18]

Qualified teams
RegionTeamQualification
method		Previous
apps		Previous best result World Rugby
Ranking [N 1]
Africa Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Africa 14Tenth place (2010, 2014)
Asia Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Asia 16Eighth place (1994)
Europe Flag of England.svg  England Hosts + Top 4 at 2021 RWC9Champions(1994, 2014)
Flag of France.svg  France Top 4 at 2021 RWC9Third place (seven times)
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland Europe 17Fourth place (2014)
North America Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Top 4 at 2021 RWC9Runners-up (2014)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States P4 19Champions(1991)
Oceania Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Top 4 at 2021 RWC8Champions(six times)
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji Oceania 11Pool stage (2021)
South America

Notes

  1. ↑ Post warm-up matches


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References

    1. ↑ "England to host women's Rugby World Cup in 2025". South Wales Guardian. May 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
    2. ↑ "Women's Rugby World Cup England 2025 confirms opening and closing venues". Sunderland City Council. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
    3. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2025 set to break new ground as tournament expands to 16 teams ｜ Rugby World Cup 2021". Rugby World Cup. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    4. ↑ "As it happened: New Zealand v England - Final | Rugby World Cup 2021". Rugby World Cup. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
    5. ↑ "World Rugby announces joint men's and women's Rugby World Cup host selection process | World Rugby". World Rugby. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    6. ↑ "RFU hopes to bid for women's 2025 World Cup". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    7. ↑ "World Rugby adopts partnership approach to Rugby World Cup host selection and confirms exclusive Preferred Candidate and Targeted Dialogue unions | World Rugby". World Rugby. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    8. ↑ "England to host 2025 women's World Cup". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    9. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2025: Eight host venues named for tournament in England". BBC Sport. 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
    10. ↑ "World Rugby and RFU confirm host cities and venues with two years to go until Rugby World Cup 2025". World Rugby. 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
    11. ↑ "New qualification pathway confirmed for Rugby World Cup 2025 | Rugby World Cup". Rugby World Cup. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
    12. ↑ "All you need to know about the Women's Rugby World Cup England 2025 qualification pathway | Rugby World Cup". Rugby World Cup. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
    13. ↑ O'Callaghan, Aoife (27 April 2024). "Ireland Secure Their Spot For 2025 World Cup After Memorable Belfast Victory". Balls.ie. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
    14. ↑ Thomas, Martyn (13 May 2024). "South Africa secure return to 'big stage' of Women's Rugby World Cup". Rugby Pass. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
    15. ↑ Dean, Taylor (25 May 2024). "USA Women's Eagles secure Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification". USA Rugby. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
    16. ↑ "Japan beat Kazakhstan to secure place at England 2025". World Rugby. 27 May 2024. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
    17. ↑ "Fijiana XV Secures Direct Qualification to Rugby World Cup 2025". Oceania Rugby. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
    18. ↑ "History-making Fiji and Hong Kong China move up World Rugby Women's Rankings". World Rugby. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
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