Women's Rugby World Cup Generates $399M Economic Impact

When 81,885 fans packed into a stadium for the Women's Rugby World Cup final, they weren't just watching history. They were proving that investing in women's sports pays off in ways that skeptics said was impossible.

World Rugby just released reports showing the 2025 tournament generated $399 million in economic impact for host cities across England. The real story is where that money went: over 80% landed outside London, revitalizing regional cities like Bristol, Manchester, Exeter, and Sunderland through tourism and local spending.

The numbers tell a story of exponential growth. The tournament sold 444,465 tickets at a 92% sellout rate, tripling attendance from the previous event. Sponsorship revenues jumped 330% compared to 2021, and global viewing hours reached 147 million, a 336% increase that shattered every previous record.

But the most telling metric came from the brands themselves. Four out of five principal sponsors extended their commitments to women's rugby after seeing the results. That 80% renewal rate is exceptionally rare in sports marketing and signals genuine confidence in long-term value.

Nearly half of all attendees were watching women's rugby for the first time, and 94% said they plan to watch again. Social media exploded with 1.1 billion impressions as creative content on TikTok and Snapchat introduced the sport to younger audiences worldwide.

The tournament reached far beyond England's borders through the Impact Beyond 2025 program. More than 35,500 teenage girls across 42 countries picked up a rugby ball through special grants, including players in Nigeria, Laos, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Cook Islands.

Female coach representation jumped from 15% in 2021 to 32% in 2025. A pioneering social media protection service analyzed over 440,000 posts and reported abusive comments to create safer spaces for players online.

The Ripple Effect

England's approach has become the official template for future tournaments in Australia (2029) and the USA (2033). The model proves that spreading events across regional cities rather than concentrating them in major metros creates broader economic benefits while building passionate local fanbases.

The success challenges decades of underinvestment in women's sports. Cities that hosted matches saw measurable economic boosts, sponsors got exceptional returns, and millions of new fans discovered a sport they love.

Women's rugby isn't having a moment anymore; it's established itself as a powerful global movement that delivers results for everyone involved.