Rugby-Women's World Cup hails huge ticket sales

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Organisers of the Women's Rugby World Cup, which begins when hosts England play the United States on Friday, have announced ticket sales that have totally dwarfed previous tournaments, including an 82,000 Twickenham sellout for the final.

At a press conference on Tuesday it was announced that 375,000 of the 470,000 available tickets have been sold. That is three times the number at the last tournament in New Zealand in 2022 and more than 10 times the 30,000 for the last World Cup held in England in 2010.

The final 15 years ago was held across the road at the Twickenham Stoop, home of Harlequins, and was watched by 13,253.

This year's final on September 27 will smash the record for a women's international, which is the 58,498 at the same stadium for England v France in the 2023 Six Nations. The match, and the third-place playoff that precedes it on the same day, are the only games of the tournament to be played in London.

"We are very confident the final will be the most attended women's rugby match in history, easily surpassing the 66,000 crowd that we saw in Paris in 2024 (for the Olympic Sevens)," said Gill Whitehead, chair of the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

"I started playing women’s rugby 30 years ago, I’ve absolutely loved it, but the prospect of the girls running out the tunnel and playing to the three tiers of Allianz, packed to the rafters. It's something perhaps I never hoped or thought I would see. It's certainly what girls' dreams are made of.

WRWC Managing Director Sarah Massey said: "We are ready to break records in attendances, viewership and engagement. This is going to be the biggest global celebration of women that we have ever seen.

"Our message to fans is, don’t miss out. This is going to be unmissable. You're going to see thrilling action, electric atmospheres, and be quick, because those remaining tickets are really selling up fast."

More than 40,000 will be in Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Friday to watch England start a campaign they hope will end with a third title, having lost in the final to New Zealand so agonisingly three years ago.

England have won 57 of their last 58 games - that Eden Park loss being the blip - and go into the tournament as odds-on favourites. New Zealand, seeking a seventh title, France and Canada look the only teams remotely qualified to challenge them.

World Rugby confirmed on Tuesday that this World Cup's four semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the 2029 edition, joining hosts Australia.