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One year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup in England

Kildunne mural
There is exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off in Sunderland.

Excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

As celebrations take place across the host cities, an inspirational promotional film, ‘This Energy Never Stops’ has been released as rugby stars urge the fans to bring their unstoppable energy to the sporting event of the year.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ features stars who are set to shine brightly at England 2025, including Red Roses full-back and Team GB sevens player Ellie Kildunne, France captain Manaé Feleu, South Africa captain Babalwa Latsha and Black Ferns full-back Renee Holmes. It is released at a time when women’s rugby took centre stage at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with over 260,000 fans packing out Stade de France for three days of women’s sevens competition, projecting the sport to an unprecedented global audience.

Continuing the unstoppable energy behind women’s sport and specifically women’s rugby in the UK, England 2025 has confirmed the ticket prices for all matches and kick-off times for England’s opening match at the Stadium of Light on 22 August (19:30 BST (GMT+1) and the bronze final (12:30 BST) and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final (16:00 BST) at Twickenham Stadium on 27 September, where a new attendance record for women’s rugby is anticipated.

With venues spanning the length and breadth of the country, England 2025 will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever. And with demand for tickets set to be high, fans are encouraged to register now via the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 website to enter the presale, which take place from 10:00 (GMT+1) on 24 September until 10:00 (GMT+1) on 8 October, 2024.

The 10th edition of the pinnacle tournament will host the world's best 16 teams, with 10 teams having already secured qualification. With six places remaining, it will be all to play for in WXV 2024 in September with the top six ranked non-qualified teams at the end of the tournament heading to Women’s RWC 2025.

Nationwide celebration

Host cities are also joining in the celebrations across the country and to showcase the tournament kicking off in the North East of England, the Stadium of Light is hosting a special episode of RugbyPass podcast, Stronger Than You Think. South Shields native and previous Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Katy Daley-Mclean and former Lioness and broadcaster Karen Carney join host Claire Thomas to discuss their personal sporting journeys while reflecting on some of the biggest women’s sporting moments of the past decade.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, Sarah Massey, said: “The 12-month countdown to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has officially begun and we are thrilled to launch ‘This Energy Never Stops’ which is an invitation to rugby fans old and new to experience unique energy of women’s rugby on the sport’s biggest stage. The film released today not only celebrates the incredible talent and determination of these elite athletes, but also recognises the unstoppable rise of women’s sport globally.

“England 2025 will be a spectacular moment for rugby, with powerful personalities, unstoppable athletes and compelling competition and with women’s sport continuing to break new records, there is no better time to join the celebrations.”

Speaking on today’s milestone, Kildunne said: “I'm buzzing to have a home Women's Rugby World Cup here in England next year. Each game that we play, more and more fans are coming out to watch us, so its hugely exciting that they will get to see the world's best teams competing here on home soil.

“If you want to be inspired not just by women but by powerful sportspeople, both on and off the field, then come to a game. It's going to be the place to be and if you miss the chance now, you're going to be playing catch up after when the world starts talking about it.”