World Rugby has published its first progress report on the Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, launched in October 2024. This report details progress on key initiatives targeting women and girls already underway that are shaping the future of women’s rugby as we approach Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

THE WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2025

With less than 200 days to go until the start of the highly anticipated Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, excitement is building ahead of what will be the biggest global celebration of women’s rugby to date. With attendance records expected to be broken, England 2025 is shaping up to be a transformational event, not only for rugby, but also for women’s sport and society at large.

At the heart of this transformation is World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, working in conjunction with the RFU’s Impact ’25 program and various projects driven by the RWC 2025 Local Organizing Committee. This collective effort seeks to extend the impact of the tournament from grassroots participation to elite rugby, leaving a lasting legacy globally.

IMPACT BEYOND 2025 PROGRESS

• 42 Rugby Rising Play grants awarded to federations to support a new women’s participation program.
• Launched ChildFund Rugby’s Grassroots to Global Forums, with the goal of developing the next generation of 1,000 community leaders in rugby.
• Representation of 25 federations at two Regional Summits in Africa and Asia, training more than 50 delegates and creating growth plans for women’s rugby.

The report also sets out the roadmap to and during the tournament, reinforcing World Rugby’s commitment to increasing participation and inspiring new generations of players and fans.

COMMITMENT TO WOMEN’S RUGBY

Sally Horrox, Head of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby, commented that “through the Impact Beyond 2025 Plan, we are creating real change, developing the next generation of sporting and community leaders, creating new training opportunities for coaches and increasing grassroots participation. This report marks an important step in our journey, ensuring transparency and accountability in meeting our long-term goals.”

It further notes that “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 will be an exciting and pivotal moment for women’s rugby, and we look forward to seeing how the stars of the tournament inspire more people to join our rugby family around the world.”

FUTURE FOLLOW-UP REPORTS

This is the first of three scheduled reports, with future updates planned for mid-year and after the tournament, ensuring clear measurement and tracking of progress.

As the countdown to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 continues, World Rugby, the RWC 2025 Organizing Committee and the RFU remain committed to building a legacy that goes beyond the tournament, empowering more women and girls, enriching communities and promoting gender equity in sport.