RFU bid to stage 2025 women's Rugby World Cup in England

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Twickenham Stadium. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Twickenham Stadium. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

England's Rugby Football Union announced on Friday a bid to stage the 2025 women's World Cup, with a goal of staging the final in front of a capacity crowd of 82 000 at Twickenham.

France are also in the running to stage the showpiece event, with World Rugby set to make a decision in May.

The RFU has also declared its intention to host the 2031 men's World Cup, although it has still to make a final decision on whether to bid for the event.

"Securing RWC 2025 would add to the impressive list of major sporting events that the UK has attracted since London 2012 (Olympic Games), reinforcing the UK's international reputation as a leading major events destination and a global leader in promoting women's sport," said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.

"As well as providing great economic returns, hosting the tournament would help to further promote rugby as an inclusive sport and provide a springboard to narrow the gap between male and female participation."

England have twice been women's world champions, in 1994 and 2014, and have also finished runners-up five times, most recently when they lost to five-times winners New Zealand in Dublin when the tournament was last staged in 2017.

Sue Day, the RFU's chief operations and finance officer and a former England women's captain, said hosting the tournament would boost women's sport.

"We want to leave a lasting legacy for women's rugby in England, the UK and across the world, both in terms of attracting more people to play and attracting new fans," she said.

The 2021 women's World Cup, scheduled to take place in New Zealand, will now take place from 8 October to 12 November 12 2022 following a delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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