World Rugby has published two major reports assessing the impact of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, setting out the tournament’s effects in England and across the global women’s game. Released with partners and stakeholders, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Impact Report and the Impact Beyond 2025 Global Impact Report provide, for the first time, a single, joined-up view of how the competition has influenced women’s rugby locally and across World Rugby’s 134 member unions and six regional associations.
The publications outline the scale of the event’s legacy, covering economic, social and commercial outcomes alongside longer-term development goals for the sport. World Rugby said the reports show how the tournament delivered a measurable return on investment for host cities and governments, while also contributing to changes in how women’s rugby is viewed and supported.
According to the findings, the competition generated an estimated £294.7 million in economic impact. World Rugby said this demonstrates the value of hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup, with benefits extending beyond the stadiums into local economies and civic life. The reports also point to wider social change, with England 2025 credited with shifting perceptions of women’s rugby, strengthening gender equity and presenting the sport as a space where women and girls are welcome and visible.
Commercial outcomes were also highlighted. The tournament recorded a 330 per cent rise in sponsorship revenues compared with the previous edition and delivered £201 million in media value for commercial partners. Four out of five Principal Partners have since extended their involvement in women’s rugby beyond the tournament. World Rugby said this reflected the growing commercial appeal of the women’s game following the event’s increased reach and visibility.
Beyond England, the Impact Beyond 2025 report sets out how the programme is already shaping rugby’s longer-term development across member unions. The initiative is focused on building expertise within unions, creating leadership and career pathways, and giving women and girls greater confidence and access to opportunities to play. World Rugby said the combined findings show how the tournament acted both as a catalyst for momentum and as a platform for targeted development activity worldwide.
At a domestic level, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 was staged across eight host cities: Brighton, Bristol, Exeter, London, Manchester, Northampton, Sunderland and York. The tournament set new attendance records, with 444,465 tickets sold, making it the most attended Women’s Rugby World Cup to date. This figure was three times higher than the previous edition, with 92 per cent of all tickets sold across the competition.
The final at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham attracted a crowd of 81,885, setting a new world record for a women’s rugby match. It also became the second most attended Rugby World Cup final of all time across both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Organisers said the decision to take matches into communities across England, alongside regional activations, local engagement programmes and targeted media coverage, helped to drive attendance beyond traditional rugby areas.
The surge in crowds translated into a £294.7 million economic impact for host cities. More than 80 per cent of this impact was recorded outside London, reflecting the approach of spreading major fixtures and activity across the country. The report points to increased visitor spending and gains for hospitality businesses, as well as strengthened destination profiles, with £54 million of media value linked to host locations. World Rugby said the results showed how major sporting events can deliver benefits across multiple regions when designed with a nationwide footprint.
Fan experience was also assessed in the reports. The tournament achieved a Net Promoter Score of +84, placing it above many other major international sporting events. Player feedback was similarly positive, with 82 per cent of participants rating their overall tournament experience as good or excellent. The findings were linked to standards around performance environments, welfare provision and event delivery during the competition.
On the commercial side, the £201 million in media value for Rugby World Cup partners was attributed to the tournament’s broadcast reach, digital exposure and on-site engagement. The 330 per cent increase in sponsorship revenue compared with the previous Women’s Rugby World Cup was linked to interest from a broader mix of brands seeking to align with the women’s game. Organisers said partner activity, including fan experiences and digital campaigns, added to the tournament atmosphere and reflected growing confidence in the value of women’s rugby as a commercial platform.
World Rugby said the two reports together present the most comprehensive assessment yet of the Women’s Rugby World Cup’s wider impact. The organisation added that England 2025 marked a turning point for the sport, combining record-breaking audiences with structured programmes aimed at participation, leadership and development for women and girls across the global game.
