With less than 200 days to go until the highly anticipated Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, excitement is building for what will be the largest global celebration of women’s rugby to date. Set to break attendance records, England 2025 is poised to be a transformative moment—not just for the sport, but for women’s sport and society as a whole.
At the heart of this transformation is World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, working alongside the RFU’s Impact ’25 programme and a range of inspiring projects spearheaded by the RWC 2025 Local Organising Company (LOC). This collective effort ensures that the tournament’s impact extends from grassroots participation to the elite level, leaving a lasting legacy around the world.
The first Impact Beyond 2025 progress report highlights major initiatives already underway, including:
- 42 Rugby Rising Play grants awarded to Unions to support a new, bespoke girls’ participation programme.
- The launch of ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Forums, designed to foster the next generation of leaders in the game.
- 25 Unions represented at two regional summits in Africa and Asia with over 50 delegates upskilled
In addition to showcasing these milestones, the report outlines the roadmap leading up to and during the tournament, reinforcing World Rugby’s commitment to increasing participation and inspiring a new generation of players and fans.
Sally Horrox, Chief of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, commented: "Through the Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, we are delivering real change, developing the next generation of sports and community leaders, creating new coaching pathways and growing grassroots participation. This report marks an important step in our journey, ensuring transparency and accountability as we work towards our long-term goals. .
“Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 will be an exciting and important moment for women’s rugby, and we can’t wait to see the stars of the tournament inspire people to get involved and join our rugby family all around the world’
This is the first of three planned reports, with further updates scheduled mid-year and post-tournament, ensuring clear measurement and reporting of progress.
As the countdown to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 continues, World Rugby, RWC 2025 LOC and RFU remain committed to building a legacy that extends far beyond the tournament—empowering more women and girls, enriching communities, and championing gender equity in sport.
For more information and to access the full update, please visit the Impact Beyond 2025 webpage here.
