Red Roses and Lionesses Make 2025 a Watershed Year for Women's Sport in England
The year 2025 has been a landmark year for women's sport in England, marked by historic victories and significant growth across rugby and football.
In rugby, the Red Roses triumphed at the Rugby World Cup 2025 final, defeating Canada 33-13 at Twickenham in front of 81,885 spectators. This set a record for the best-attended women’s rugby union game ever and was the second-most attended Rugby World Cup final overall. The BBC reported a peak audience of 5.8 million viewers. The tournament's momentum was underscored by a cumulative attendance of 441,356 and over 40,000 tickets sold for England's upcoming Women’s Six Nations match against Ireland at Twickenham. England's women's rugby team also sustained an impressive 33-match winning streak.
Premiership Women’s Rugby experienced a surge in popularity with attendances rising by 70.5% over the first six rounds of the season. Grassroots engagement saw a notable increase, with the number of women playing rugby in England growing from 25,000 to 40,000 in five years. International talent also bolstered the league, as New Zealand players Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Liana Mikaele-Tu’u joined, and Ruahei Demant signed with Bristol Bears until March, appreciating England's world-leading support for women's sport.
On the football front, the Lionesses continued their dominance by winning the Euro 2025 tournament in Switzerland, successfully defending their 2022 title. Their homecoming attracted 65,000 supporters outside Buckingham Palace. At Wembley Stadium, England secured an 8-0 victory against China, while a crowd of 20,252 watched the match versus Ghana in Southampton. Arsenal further advanced women's football by winning the Women’s Champions League in May 2025, edging out Barcelona 1-0 in Lisbon. The Emirates Stadium saw average match attendances rise to 36,214 from 28,776, with owners emphasizing that the victory is a starting point for regular competition and growth.
Nikki Doucet, chief executive of the Women’s Super League (WSL), outlined ambitions for the league to be the most distinctive, competitive, and entertaining in the world. Plans are underway to keep the Lionesses connected to local fanbases and strengthen the league's future.
The momentum in women's football is reflected in statistics showing a 196% rise in searches for female football playing opportunities and a 5% increase in participation following the major tournament. There have also been increases in female coaches (+12%) and referees (+29%). Looking ahead, England is set to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the European Athletics Championships in 2026, continuing the trend of growth and visibility in women's sport.
