When is the Women’s Rugby World Cup?

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is set to be the biggest and most competitive edition of the tournament yet. Hosted in England for the second time, this landmark event marks a return to the expanded 16-team format last used in 2002. With nations from every continent competing, fans can expect five weeks of high-intensity rugby, dramatic storylines, and unforgettable moments.

The tournament will span eight cities and culminate in a grand final at the famous Twickenham Stadium on 27th September. With heavyweight contenders, debutants, and returning favourites all in the mix, the 2025 Rugby World Cup promises to deliver a thrilling showcase of women’s rugby at the highest level. Stay tuned throughout the tournament for some of our best rugby predictions!

When Does the Women’s Rugby World Cup Start?

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup begins on 22nd August 2025, when host nation England face the United States at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. England will be hopeful of a strong start after finishing as runners-up in 2021. That fixture kicks off over a month of hard-hitting matches between 16 nations before the tournament comes to an end on 27th September in the final at Twickenham.

Where is the Women’s Rugby World Cup?

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is being hosted in England at eight stadiums in eight different cities. From huge, world-famous rugby venues to smaller, more personal stadiums, the atmosphere is sure to be electric everywhere. 

• Twickenham Stadium (London)
• Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
• The Amex (Brighton and Hove)
• Ashton Gate (Bristol)
• Sandy Park (Exeter)
• Franklin’s Garden (Northampton)
• Salford Community Stadium (Manchester)
• York Community Stadium (York)

Who is Playing in the Women’s Rugby World Cup?

Sixteen nations will compete in the 2025 Women’s World Cup following the competition’s re-expansion. The previous six renewals of the World Cup had seen 12 teams battling it out after being reduced from the original 16 following the 2002 tournament. The teams qualified through a combination of automatic qualification, regional competitions, and the 2024 WXV tournaments. Notably, all six teams from the Women’s Six Nations, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales, will compete at the same World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Four teams secured their place automatically by reaching the semi-finals of the 2021 Rugby World Cup: New Zealand, England, France, and Canada. The remaining twelve spots were filled through a series of qualifying events, including the Six Nations, Pacific Four Series, regional championships in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America.

From the regional paths:

• Ireland booked their spot by defeating Scotland in the final round of the 2024 Women’s Six Nations.
• South Africa qualified by winning the 2024 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, defeating Madagascar.
• The United States secured their place thanks to New Zealand’s win over Australia in the final game of the Pacific Four Series.
• Japan clinched the Asian spot by beating Kazakhstan in the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship.
• Fiji earned the Oceania 1 berth by triumphing in the 2024 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship.
• Brazil made history by defeating Colombia in the South American qualifier to reach their first-ever World Cup, becoming the first South American nation to qualify.

The final six spots were determined through the 2024 WXV competitions:

• In WXV 2, Australia, Italy, Scotland, and Wales claimed qualification.
• In WXV 3, Samoa and Spain qualified as the top two eligible teams not already qualified through regional routes.

Rugby World Cup Schedule and Format

Sixteen nations will battle it out in the pool stages, with four pools of four teams playing their group rivals in a round robin format. Four points are awarded for a win, two for a draw, and one bonus point for scoring four or more tries. The top two teams from each pool progress to the knockout stage. This round-robin stage will run from August 22nd through to September 7th, with multiple fixtures taking place on each match day. 

Pool A

• England vs United States (August 22, 19:30 BST)
• Australia vs Samoa (August 23, 12:00 BST)
• England vs Samoa (August 30, 17:00 BST)
• United States vs Australia (August 30, 19:30 BST)
• United States vs Samoa (September 6, 13:30 BST)
• England vs Australia (September 6, 17:00 BST)

Pool B

• Scotland vs Wales (August 23, 2:45 pm BST)
• Canada vs Fiji (August 23, 5:30 pm BST)
• Canada vs Wales (August 30, 12:00 BST)
• Scotland vs Fiji (August 30, 2:45 pm BST)
• Canada vs Scotland (September 6, 12:00 BST)
• Wales vs Fiji (September 6, 2:45 pm BST)

Pool C

• Ireland vs Japan (August 24, 12:00 pm BST) 
• New Zealand vs Spain (August 24, 5:30 pm BST) 
• Ireland vs Spain (August 31, 12:00 pm BST) 
• New Zealand vs Japan (August 31, 2:00 pm BST) 
• Japan vs Spain (September 7, 12:00 pm BST)
• New Zealand vs Ireland (September 7, 2:45 pm BST) 

Pool D

• France vs Italy (August 23, 8:15 pm BST) 
• South Africa vs Brazil (August 24, 2:45 pm BST) 
• Italy vs South Africa (August 31, 3:30 pm BST) 
• France vs Brazil (August 31, 4:45 pm BST) 
• Italy vs Brazil (September 7, 2:00 pm BST) 
• France vs South Africa (September 7, 4:45 pm BST) 

When is the Women’s Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final?

Following the culmination of the pool stage, we will see the knockout stages begin, starting with the quarter-finals on September 13th and 14th. Those games will be split across Ashton Gate in Bristol and Sandy Park, Exeter. 

• Winner Pool C vs Runner-Up Pool D (September 13, 1:00 pm BST)
• Winner Pool B vs Runner-Up Pool A (September 13, 4:00 pm BST)
• Winner Pool D vs Runner-Up Pool C (September 14, 1:00 pm BST)
• Winner Pool A vs Runner-Up Pool B (September 14, 4:00 pm BST)

When is the Women’s Rugby World Cup Semi-Final?

The final four will have a six-day break before they fight it out for a place in the final. Both fixtures will take place at Ashton Gate on the 19th and 20th September. This is where we could see some massive clashes.

• Winner Quarter-Final 1 vs Winner Quarter-Final 2 (September 19, 7:00 pm BST)
• Winner Quarter-Final 3 vs Winner Quarter-Final 4 (September 20, 3:30 pm BST)

When is the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final?

On September 27th, after more than a month of thrilling action, two teams will meet for the chance to lift the most prestigious prize in women’s world rugby. The final will take place at the famous Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby. With a capacity of 82,000, expect an electric atmosphere. 

Host nation, England, are the favourites to lift the trophy this year after losing to New Zealand in the final in 2021. A wager on the two-time world champions is worth 4/11 for anyone betting on the Rugby World Cup. Before the final, there will also be a third-place playoff match, known as the Bronze Final. This will be contested between the two losing teams from the semi-finals and will also take place at Twickenham.

• Loser Semi-Final 1 vs Loser Semi-Final 2 (September 27, 12:30 pm BST)
• Winner Semi-Final 1 vs Winner Semi-Final 2 (September 27, 4:00 pm BST)

Previous Women’s Rugby World Cup Winners

Only three nations have won the Women’s Rugby World Cup. New Zealand have dominated for nearly three decades, winning six of the last seven tournaments. England have reached the final in all of the previous six World Cups, but have only won the competition once in that time. Will we see a new winner crowned in 2025, or will it be more Kiwi dominance?

• 1991 – United States
• 1994 – England
• 1998 – New Zealand
• 2002 – New Zealand
• 2006 – New Zealand
• 2010 – New Zealand
• 2014 – England
• 2017 – New Zealand
• 2021 (played in 2022 due to COVID-19) – New Zealand

What are Ireland’s Chances in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup?

Ireland confirmed their place in the World Cup when they defeated Scotland in Round Five of the Six Nations last year. This will mark their return to the tournament after they failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup when they finished in third place in the qualifying round. That was the first time they were absent from the competition since they first entered in 1994. 

Scott Bemand’s team will be hungry to put the ghosts of 2022’s past behind them now. However, our online sportsbook is not confident in its ability to finish strongly. A bet on Ireland to win the competition is worth 50/1, and they are among the outsiders. Their best finish in a World Cup came when they finished fourth in 2014, having never lifted the trophy. The long wait for the Rugby World Cup is still ongoing between the men’s and women’s teams in Ireland. Rugby betting odds indicate that the wait could go for at least another two years.