The Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off today with England facing the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, building towards a spectacular finale in southwest London where rugby history will be made.
The tournament, running until 27th September, will culminate at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham with two crucial games on the final Saturday: the bronze final at 12:30pm and the World Cup final at 4:00pm. Both matches at the historic home of English rugby are sadly already sold out, with organisers targeting a new world attendance record of 82,000 for women’s rugby.
Records have already been shattered before a ball has been kicked: organisers have confirmed that 375,000 tickets have been sold across all venues – three times the number sold for the last World Cup in New Zealand in 2021.
This remarkable transformation represents just how far the women’s game has come. A decade ago, the trophy-lifting match was held in front of only 13,000 supporters at the smaller Twickenham Stoop. Now, organisers are hoping to fill Twickenham’s full 82,000 capacity and smash the current women’s rugby attendance record of 58,498.
Where to Watch the Action
While tickets are sold out, rugby fans across South West London won’t miss a moment of the action. BBC Sport has exclusive UK rights to broadcast every game of the tournament, with all England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland fixtures live on terrestrial television. England’s opening match today and Scotland vs Wales will be live on BBC One, with BBC Two broadcasting subsequent home union pool games. The final will also be shown on BBC One.
Every match is also available to stream live on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, ensuring fans can follow the Red Roses’ journey from anywhere.
Best Putney Pubs for Rugby Viewing
For those wanting the authentic pub atmosphere while watching England’s campaign unfold, Putney offers some excellent rugby-watching venues:
- The Coat & Badge – Famous for its courtyard with giant screen, frequently packed for big games with excellent burgers to accompany the action
- The Jolly Gardeners – A Putney institution for rugby viewing, where you’ll inevitably end up chatting with locals
- Fox & Hounds – In the heart of Putney opposite the train station, featuring 11 screens including outdoor garden coverage
- The Temperance – Just over the bridge with 200 TV screens across two floors with artisan wood-fired pizza
- The Kings Head – A Roehampton winner for live sport with excellent drinks in a traditional pub setting
- Queen Adelaide – Contemporary Putney/Wandsworth favourite with craft beer and secret garden setting
England’s Road to Glory
England’s likely fixture schedule for their World Cup campaign:
Pool Stage:
- Today, 22nd August: England vs USA (Sunderland, 7:30pm) – Opening match
- 30th August: England vs Samoa (Northampton, 5:00pm)
- 6th September: England vs Australia (Brighton, 5:00pm) – Potential pool decider
Knockout Stage (if England progress as expected):
- 13th/14th September: Quarter-finals (Bristol or Exeter, afternoon kick-offs)
- 19th/20th September: Semi-finals (Bristol, 3:30pm or 7:00pm)
- 27th September: Final (Twickenham, 4:00pm)
With the Red Roses currently ranked number one in the world and having reached the final in all but one of the nine previous tournaments, home advantage could be the key to England finally breaking New Zealand’s recent dominance and claiming their third World Cup title on home soil.
As England captain Marlie Packer said: “We can’t wait for 80,000 of you to be cheering us on as we look to inspire the next generation of Red Roses.”
