Sunderland’s Stadium of Light to host Women’s Rugby World Cup opener

SUNDERLAND’S Stadium of Light will host England’s Red Roses in the opening match of the “era-defining” 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, with the aim that the game and tournament will inspire young girls in the North East and possibly generate future stars.

On Monday morning, organizers joined England’s record-breaking appearance maker Sarah Hunter at the Stadium of Light to officially announce that Wearside will host the tournament’s opening game on Friday, August 22.

The Stadium of Light is one of eight sites chosen, along with the York Community Stadium, to host games in the 10th edition of the Women’s World Cup, which has been enlarged to 16 teams.

 

 

Hunter, who is from the North East and played 141 times for England before joining the coaching staff, believes the Stadium of Light opener will be a “amazing spectacle” but can also play a significant role in generating and developing young rugby players of the future.

“It’s huge, not only to have a Rugby World Cup game in Sunderland but to have the opening game and the Red Roses.” On Monday morning, Hunter oversaw a coaching session for hundreds of young female players on the Stadium of Light surface.

“We’ve seen how passionate the city and the region is about sport but this isn’t just about the game itself, it’s everything that happens before and after.

“We’ve seen evidence of bringing massive sporting events to cities and the impact it has. This isn’t about a one-off event, it’s about developing and growing the network of girls who play rugby in the city and surrounding areas.

“Being from the North East myself, when I found out the region was getting a game I was so excited and when I found out it was going to be the opening game and the Red Roses, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it. I’m so proud to be from the North East and I know how much the sport means to people.

“I remember as a nine year old going down to London to watch a game at Wembley. I had to go there to watch rugby and I still look at that and have the best  memories. To have that not far from where you live and know that could be the spark that makes someone either start rugby or want to continue it, hopefully in World Cups in the future, there can be players in the Red Roses team who were inspired by this game.”

“It’s going to be an amazing atmosphere and a fantastic way to kick off what is going to be a generational and era-defining tournament,” said Sarah Massey, managing director of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

“I was here recently for the Lionesses game, and it was a fantastic atmosphere.” I’m confident that it will be the same in 2025.”

“The whole reason we bid for this tournament was to grow the game, so it’s fantastic to be bringing this game to the North East,” said Steve Grainger, executive director of rugby development at the RFU.

“It’s not just about August 22; it’s about what happens before and after that as we try to inspire tens of thousands of kids and create more Sarah Hunters.”

“We want more people to think that rugby is a sport for them.” That is the legacy, that picking up an oval ball is something people desire to do. It’s a family, and we want to leave a legacy of more people joining that family.”

After placing in the top four at RWC 2021, Canada, England, France, and New Zealand have already qualified for the World Cup, with the other 12 slots to be filled next year.

The final will be held at Twickenham, and organizers are attempting to break the 58,498 attendance record for a Women’s Rugby World Cup event.