Countdown To The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup: Teams, Locations, And What’s At Stake

Six spots remaining as the best gear up for the Premier Women's Rugby Tournament

Starting at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will set off a month-long exhibition of top women's rugby /

By Mohamed Bahaa

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will start at Sunderland's Stadium of Light in only one year, sparking fierce competition among the top rugby countries across the world. Six seats remaining to be claimed as the event gets closer; these will be determined following this year's WXV competitions.

Qualified Teams and Tournament Forecast

Reigning champions New Zealand and 2022 finalists England already guaranteed their places for the 2025 tournament. Joining them are France and Canada, who progressed to the semi-finals of the last World Cup held in New Zealand. The difficulty to land a spot among these powerhouses has gotten more intense over the past year.

Ireland recovered strongly, qualifying by beating Scotland to place third in the 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations. This performance also sees them participating in WXV 1 for the first time. While the USA entered the roster via a pivotal third-place result in the Pacific Four Series, therefore securing their qualification with a victory over Australia, South Africa secured their position by winning the 2024 Rugby Africa Women's Cup. Japan and Fiji also confirmed their spots by respectively winning the Asia Rugby Women's Championship and the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. Overcoming Colombia 34-13, Brazil completes the current list and marks a historic moment as they qualify for their first-ever Women's Rugby World Cup.

The Race for the Six Final Spots

The WXV competitions, running from September 27 to October 12, will fill up the six places still needed for the 2025 tournament. As they get ready in Vancouver, WXV 1 will feature teams already qualified including the Black Ferns, England, France, Ireland, Canada, and the USA. The real struggle, though, will be in WXV 2 and 3, where the remaining spots will be contested.

Four spots are up for grabs in WXV 2 with South Africa and Japan already qualified. Defending WXV 2 champions Scotland, runners-up Italy, Australia, and Wales will compete in South Africa; WXV 3, in Dubai, provides the last two spots. With Fiji already qualified, teams including Hong Kong China, Madagascar, Netherlands, Samoa, and Spain will fight for their chance to join the world's elite next year.

Venues for the 2025 World Cup

Set to be the biggest yet, the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will be staged throughout eight English cities. The competition runs from August 22 at Sunderland's Stadium of Light; the final is set for September 27 at Twickenham Stadium. Famous sites including Bristol's Ashton Gate, Exeter's Sandy Park, Manchester's Salford Community Stadium, Northampton's Franklin's Gardens, Brighton and Hove Stadium, and York Community Stadium will host other matches.