Photo: Competition in women`s rugby is set to intensify (c) Getty Images
World Rugby believes that the era of predictable outcomes in women`s Rugby World Cups is drawing to a close. Although the England women`s national team, affectionately known as the `Red Roses,` recently secured their 33rd consecutive victory by winning the Rugby World Cup 33-13 against Canada at Twickenham, thereby solidifying their leading position, the organization anticipates significantly increased competition by the next tournament.
Specialists at World Rugby highlight substantial progress across several national teams. Among the primary contenders for a breakthrough are South Africa, Australia, and France, alongside Fiji and Brazil. The key driver for this rapid development is sustained investment; England, for example, allocates approximately £15 million annually to women`s rugby, which stands as the largest sum committed by any rugby union globally.
The recent 2025 Rugby World Cup marked a historic milestone, becoming the most successful tournament to date. Over 444,000 tickets were sold, accounting for 92% of the available seats, and the final match drew a record 81,885 spectators. The live broadcast of the final attracted 5.8 million viewers in the UK, making it the most-watched rugby event of the year. Significantly, more than half of the attendees were women, and for half of these women, it was their inaugural experience attending a live women`s rugby event.
World Rugby views these record-breaking attendance and viewership figures as a powerful catalyst for the sport`s continued growth and development. The organization has already encouraged Australia, the host nation for the 2029 World Cup, to plan an even more ambitious and larger-scale event, signaling a new chapter for women`s international rugby.
