{"id":77082,"date":"2025-08-18T09:27:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T09:27:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/77082\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T09:27:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T09:27:06","slug":"world-rugby-launches-a-blueprint-for-growth-womens-rugby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/77082\/","title":{"rendered":"World Rugby launches \u2018 A Blueprint for Growth \u2013 Women\u2019s Rugby\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken into the fan and commercial trends that underpin the sport\u2019s global rise, relevance and reach
\nNew report identifies five key focus areas to propel rugby\u2019s commercial and fan impact to new heights on and off the pitch
\nWorld Rugby will be hosting a webinar on the report’s findings on Tuesday, 2 September, 2025.
\nDownload the full report HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

World Rugby has unveiled the most comprehensive study to date on the rise, relevance, and reach of women\u2019s rugby, offering a strategic roadmap to help the game unlock the full commercial potential of women\u2019s rugby globally.<\/p>\n

Drawing on newly commissioned research from seven global markets and wider market analysis, as well as new in-depth studies on fan, broadcast and commercial trends, the blueprint for growth highlights five game-changer focus areas that will propel the sport to new heights on and off the pitch:<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Make it impossible to miss women\u2019s rugby: Expand broadcast deals, boost digital exposure, and create more accessible live experiences.
\n\u00a0 Empower players to tell their stories: Support athlete-led content to inspire loyalty among younger, digital-first, and diverse audiences.
\n\u00a0 Give fans even more opportunities to watch stars of the game: Convert tournament-driven spikes into sustained year-round engagement through storytelling, visibility, and clear links to domestic competitions.
\n\u00a0 Continue to grow the playing pathways: Build diverse competition structures from schools to social play to expand the player base and grassroots passion.
\n\u00a0 Lean into fluid fandom: Adapt the rugby product globally and locally to broaden access and connect with new audiences.<\/p>\n

Published on the eve of the biggest and boldest Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup to date, the report clearly articulates why women\u2019s rugby will drive commercial, fan and participation growth in the sport as a whole, creating compelling benefits for national unions, governments and competition owners alike.<\/p>\n

The time is now for women\u2019s rugby. Women\u2019s elite sport is projected to generate \u00a31.8 billion globally by 2025 (Deloitte). Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup England 2025 is forecast to attract up to 400,000 attendees, 50 million global viewing hours and attract a whole new fanbase for rugby \u2013 a generational moment following a huge interest spurt that has seen record attendances set and smashed and new competitions established in several nations in a three-year super growth period since the previous Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: \u201cThis report\u2019s insights are compelling and reinforce why women\u2019s rugby is central to our strategy to grow the sport\u2019s reach, relevance and impact. With clear focus areas, we are ready to lead in partnership with unions worldwide, and accelerate out of the back of what we know will be a\u00a0 game-changing Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup in England 2025.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n

World Rugby Chief of Women\u2019s Rugby Sally Horrox added: \u201cWomen\u2019s rugby stands on the brink of something extraordinary. Powered by world-class athletes, a passionate and growing fanbase, and a global calendar featuring Women\u2019s Rugby World Cups in England, Australia and the USA, the sport represents one of the most dynamic opportunities in global sport. Unlocking its full potential requires strategic focus, sustained investment, and collective commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key findings from the report include:<\/p>\n

Rapid fan growth<\/p>\n

49% of fans have joined in the last two years.
\nEngagement up 65% over the past four years, rising to 72% in South Africa and 69% in the USA.
\nFans are younger (29% under 35), more gender-balanced (43% female), and family-oriented (50% with children).
\nGlobal attendances continue to break records, including 66,000 for one day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games women\u2019s rugby sevens.<\/p>\n

Visibility matters<\/p>\n

\u00a050% of fans cite increased broadcast and digital visibility as their entry point into the sport.
\n\u00a0Major tournaments are a key driver, with interest especially high in France (40%) and the UK (36%).<\/p>\n

Powerful personalities are driving fan connection<\/p>\n

39% of fans say player visibility has increased their engagement.
\nUSA\u2019s Ilona Maher has 8.7m social followers, while Australia\u2019s following is up 985% in 18 months.<\/p>\n

The commercial opportunity<\/p>\n

73% of fans agree brands play an authentic role in boosting visibility.
\nMerchandise-buying women\u2019s rugby fans spend 16% more than men\u2019s rugby fans.<\/p>\n

World Rugby will be hosting a webinar on the report’s findings on Tuesday, 2 September, 2025 (held twice to account for global time zones) at 08:00 BST (GMT+1) and 16:00 BST. For further details and to register,\u00a0please click the link for the time you wish to register for.<\/p>\n

08:00 – https:\/\/worldrugby.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/WN_SbFJ9zpvSOKl551IHNvqMA<\/a>
16:00 – https:\/\/worldrugby.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/WN_D7-yIhg3RdWiZC-UjFRFkQ<\/a><\/p>\n

The report will be available in French and Spanish in due course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken into the fan and commercial trends that underpin the sport\u2019s global rise, relevance…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":77083,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85,83],"class_list":["post-77082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-text"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}