Women's rugby is driving global interest in the sport.
Image: Supplied.
A FRESH global report by World Rugby has placed women’s rugby at the centre of the sport’s international growth, pointing to a sharp rise in new fans, record-breaking tournaments and expanding commercial opportunities.
The governing body this week released the second edition of its flagship A Blueprint for Growth report, describing it as the most comprehensive analysis yet of the trends shaping rugby’s global reach and relevance.
Drawing on research conducted in early 2025 across seven markets, alongside broader global data and insights from the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the report outlines a strategic roadmap for unlocking the commercial potential of the women’s game.
At its core, the findings suggest that women’s rugby is no longer a side narrative — it is fast becoming the engine room of the sport’s future.
Nearly half of all women’s rugby fans — 49% — have only discovered the sport in the past two years, signalling a rapid influx of new audiences. More than half, 55%, say their interest in rugby union is expected to grow, indicating a fanbase still on an upward curve rather than plateauing.
Television and online streaming have emerged as the main entry points, with 53% of fans first encountering the sport through broadcast platforms. Visibility of players is also proving critical, with 39% of fans saying increased exposure to athletes has deepened their engagement.
The audience itself is shifting. The report found that 29% of women’s rugby fans are under the age of 35, while women make up 43% of the fanbase. That figure rises to 53% among ticket buyers at the 2025 World Cup — a notable inversion of traditional gender patterns in sport audiences.
Major tournaments are acting as powerful conversion points. About 31% of fans say their interest is driven by marquee events, while the 2025 World Cup drew significant numbers of newcomers: 15% of attendees had never been to a rugby match before, and 44% were attending a women’s match for the first time.
The tournament itself set new benchmarks. Compared to the 2021 edition, the 2025 World Cup recorded a 196% increase in ticket sales, a 336% rise in broadcast viewing hours, a 118% jump in social media impressions and a 330% surge in sponsorship revenue.
Brands are also taking notice. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of fans believe companies have a legitimate role in boosting the visibility of women’s rugby, while 42% say they are more likely to talk about brands that sponsor the women’s game — a higher figure than for men’s rugby.
Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s chief of women’s rugby, said the data reflects a fundamental shift in the sport’s trajectory.
“The findings in our updated Blueprint for Growth report underline what we are seeing across the global game — women’s rugby is not just growing, it is transforming the future of the sport. A new generation of fans are discovering rugby, and that fandom is set to grow,” she said.
She added that rising engagement, improved visibility and record-breaking events were combining to create “a powerful platform for future investment, innovation and growth”.
World Rugby said it would continue working with unions, governments and commercial partners to convert the current momentum into sustained global expansion for the women’s game — and rugby more broadly.
If the numbers hold, the message is blunt: the future of rugby is not just bigger — it is increasingly female, younger, and newly arrived.