Women's Rugby Set for a Watershed Year in 2025
The schedule for the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations has been confirmed. It will begin on Saturday, March 22nd. The tournament will feature five rounds of matches, culminating in a day of back-to-back women’s rugby on Saturday, April 26th.
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations marks the start of a crucial year for the women’s game, leading up to the Rugby World Cup 2025 in England. This tournament will be the last chance for many players to be selected for the RWC squads, making it a defining moment in their careers.
After the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations fixtures were announced, Julie Paterson, Chief of Rugby at Six Nations Rugby, shared her thoughts.
“The opportunity to take women’s rugby to new heights next year cannot be overstated. Having the spotlight on women’s rugby in 2025 can benefit the entire game, its players, and the fans. For the Guinness Women’s Six Nations to kick off such a significant stage in the trajectory of the women’s game feels both fitting and exciting in equal measure, said Paterson.
Broadcast coverage of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations will be available in all six nations’ home markets as well as in 157 international territories, aiming to build on the 13% audience growth seen in 2024.
c providing exciting entertainment for fans. The Northern Hemisphere will host these events, starting with Ireland versus France on March 22nd for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
The tournament will culminate in Super Saturday, featuring three consecutive matches: Scotland against Ireland, Italy hosting Wales, and ending with England against France. Fans worldwide will have access to live broadcast coverage, including the BBC in the UK and France Télévisions in France, among others.
“Fans can expect box office entertainment next year, which stands to attract more people to the sport. There is also the opportunity to inspire a new generation of players to either consider rugby or continue their journey in the sport,” said Paterson.
“The work being done to strengthen the development pathway means we can meet and support these players. The recent introduction of a Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, joining the now established Women’s U18 Festivals, offers consistent opportunities for players to gain international experience, and if next year's Championship and then Rugby World Cup brings more players towards this pathway, our Unions and Federations are ready to support them,” she added.
Six Nations Rugby will provide multiple ways for fans to engage with the Women’s Championship through social and digital channels, match highlights, original content, promotions, and a dedicated Women’s Six Nations Fantasy Rugby game.
The 2024 Women's Championship saw significant growth in audience engagement, including a 22% increase in matchday attendance and a total global live audience of 16.2 million fans, representing a 9% increase from the previous year. The Women’s fantasy rugby game saw a 52% increase in participants, and there were 32,000 votes for the Player of the Championship award, marking a 140% increase from 2023.
“The numbers and statistics from previous editions of the Championship show signs of growth for the women’s game, and it is a testament to the work and commitment from each of the Six Nations Unions and Federations, on and off the pitch. As we go into next year's Championship and a year rightfully dominated by women’s rugby, there is huge excitement from everyone involved to take the game to new heights,” stated Paterson.
After the conclusion of the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, the focus will shift to the 10th edition of the Rugby World Cup, which begins on August 22nd and will be hosted in England. The combined impact of these two major events presents an incredible opportunity to showcase the best of women’s rugby and attract new fans to the sport on a global scale.
