Women's Rugby World Cup. In England so there's a before and after.

The Women's World Cup (August 22 - September 27) kicks off tonight with the Red Roses, the hot favorites for the title, taking on the United States. Promising to break all records, this competition should allow the sport to move into another dimension.

History doesn't repeat itself. But he can sometimes stutter. A speech impediment that is now one of World Rugby's dearest wishes. Four years after the Men's Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand in 2011, the one held in England in 2015 broke all records in terms of revenue, attendance, and viewership. This momentum continued in Japan in 2019 and then in France in 2023.

As the 10th edition of the Women's World Cup (August 22 - September 27) arrives in England, three years after also stopping off in the land of the All Blacks (1), the institution that governs world rugby is unabashedly displaying its ambition to create a groundswell of comparable strength.

“From the outset, we promised this tournament would be ambitious and innovative, and England 2025 is delivering on that promise. The biggest and best Women’s Rugby World Cup ever, with more teams, record crowds and unprecedented fan engagement,” said World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin emphatically at the welcome ceremony in Exeter for the French and Italian teams.

“With over 350,000 tickets already sold, an expanded format across eight host cities and a brand new trophy, this tournament is breaking records, shaking up habits and making history,” Alan Gilpin continued lyrically: “England 2025 will set new standards, on and off the pitch and leave a lasting legacy, a promise of change, growth and excitement.”

Proclaiming that a competition will be a revolution before it even kicks off—which it will be this Friday evening with the opening match between England and the United States—is obviously part of a classic communications and marketing strategy. Let's recognize, however, that the assertion is based on tangible data.

The volume of tickets sold has shattered all records: organizers have already sold three times as many tickets as in New Zealand. "We have exceeded our sales and revenue targets," said Gill Whitehead, England 2025's chief executive, on Tuesday. "The final will break the record for a women's international match: we will outsell the 66,000 (for the rugby sevens final) at the Paris Olympics. We are confident that Twickenham will be a sell-out."

Several factors can explain this excitement. The sport is currently on the rise, as demonstrated by a study published this week by World Rugby, which states that half of the world's fans have been interested in the sport for less than two years. And, finally, the Red Roses' status as heavy favorites, who have not lost a match since the 2022 final against New Zealand, is ensuring the promotion of the event in England. While the Black Ferns have won six of the nine editions played, new faces are just waiting to be crowned.

"It's going to be a competition with new upheavals, like in 2014," predicted former French international Lenaïg Corson, now a radio consultant, in "Raffut," the rugby magazine of "Sud Ouest." "This one is going to be the one of explosion. We're clearly going to enter the era of professionalism."

Since women's rugby is still largely amateur or semi-amateur, this statement may seem a bit incantatory. But echoing the speeches made by World Rugby executives, there is hope in the offices of the French Rugby Federation that the 2025 World Cup, for which the television rights were acquired by the TF1 group, will have a leverage effect on the sport.

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2025 Women's Rugby World Cup: The Competition Guide

Your complete guide to the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, which will be held from August 22 to September 27 in England: follow the schedule, discover the favorite teams, the players of the French XV and their chances of shining in the competition.