A world record crowd of 82,000 is expected to watch England face Canada in the Women's Rugby World Cup final at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday. The attendance will be the largest ever for a standalone women's rugby match, surpassing the previous record set earlier in the tournament.
Sarah Massey, managing director of the Women's Rugby World Cup, said the sport has risen faster than any she has seen in her career across international hockey, cricket, athletics and the Commonwealth Games. She noted that the welcome ceremonies, where players sang and danced, signalled something special. England's opening match against the USA in front of 42,723 fans further ignited interest, and the tournament has grown in popularity each week.
A peak audience of 3.3 million watched England beat France in the semi-finals, a record for women's rugby in the UK, and that figure is expected to be surpassed for the final. England are the world's number one team, unbeaten in 32 matches and fully professional, but they have yet to hit top form. Canada, ranked second, have played the most exciting rugby in the tournament and feature arguably the world's best player in Sophie de Goede.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) now invests £15 million a year in the women's game, triple the amount since 2021. The Red Roses have secured standalone sponsors in Crew Clothing, LG and Clinique. Organisers have targeted family-friendly audiences with cheap tickets and daytime games, along with inclusive touches such as buggy parks, baby change areas, period products in changing rooms, and sensory bags for children.
Alex Teasdale, RFU director of the women's game, said a 2020 strategy meeting set two goals: to reach 100,000 female participants and to fill Twickenham for a Red Roses match. At the time, they had just filled Doncaster's 5,000-capacity stadium. The RFU then bid for the World Cup and launched 'Project 80' to grow databases and engage fans. Massey added that the tournament has led to societal change, with the vast majority of security advisers being women.
