‘Global venue’ Stadium of Light to host showcase rugby event aiming to leave ‘legacy’ for stars of the future

The Stadium of Light will host the opening game of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup after the venue fought off competition from around the country to host the showcase event. The competition will begin on Friday, 22 August 2025 with England playing their first match on Wearside. The tournament will see 16 teams compete at eight different venues around the country and culminate at Twickenham, the home of English rugby.

It’s set to be another chance for the north east to host a major sporting event and showcase the region to an international audience and Councillor Graeme Miller believes that this is another example of Sunderland being seen as a ‘global venue’ for major events. Speaking to the Echo, Miller said: “Sunderland is now being seen as a global venue. 

“We are going to be hosting the opening game and the stadium will be packed. It will be a great weekend of sport and what I want is for it to push women and girls into playing rugby and if not playing rugby then playing sport. 

“This is all about raising the profile of sport and getting people healthier. As a rugby event it will be absolutely brilliant.”

England have finished as runners-up in the last two World Cups and will be aiming to go one step further on their home turf in 2025. England’s all-time record appearance maker, Sarah Hunter, played in both of those tournaments and whilst she has since hung up her boots to take up a coaching role with the Red Roses, she also expressed her excitement ahead of the event. 

“Being from the north east myself, when I knew that the north east was going to get a game I was so excited,” the former England captain revealed. “And when I heard that it was the opening game and the Red Roses, it honestly makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I’m so proud to be from the north east and I know how much sport means to people from the north east.

“The game is massive here and sometimes I think because we’re so far away we can get forgotten about, but to rubber stamp it and say actually we’re going to host that first game in the north east and show everyone about how great the people are here and how welcome they will make everyone who visits here. What a host city it will be.”

Whilst not necessarily being a hotbed for rugby, the north east is no stranger to hosting major events with the Rugby League World Cup having also kicked-off in the north east. St James’ Park was chosen as the venue to host England’s opener against Samoa on that occasion and the RFU have revealed a desire to leave a legacy following the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in areas that aren’t traditionally viewed as rugby towns and cities.

RFU Executive Director of Rugby Development, Steve Grainger, told the Echo about the impact he hopes the tournament can have in Sunderland: “We want more people really believing that rugby is a sport for them.” Grainger said. “That’s not just about young girls by the way but young boys as well.

“That really is the legacy that people picking up an oval ball is something that they want to do. With that also comes the whole value set of rugby, the teamwork, the camaraderie, it’s a family and we genuinely want more people coming into that family.”

Tickets for the game at the Stadium of Light and matches across the country are yet to go on sale, however, Hunter has urged anyone that may be thinking about going to a game to get involved and believes it will have a positive effect on rugby in the north east. Asked for her thoughts on why people should go to this historic tournament, Hunter told the Echo: “Do it. Absolutely do it. As soon as those tickets go on sale, get one and I promise you won’t regret it whether you’re a player, or a fan.

“The women’s game is slightly different in that if you look at Twickenham during the final of the Six Nations, fans went and loved it. It was a family fun occasion, you’ve got demographics from young girls and boys up to old men and women and everything in between.

”You’ve got groups of friends and families and of course some rugby people, but for a sporting occasion and the atmosphere that a women’s game has, it’s just so inclusive and genuinely once you’ve been you’ll want to go again and you become a fan of the game.

“Yes we want to reach out and grow grassroots participation, absolutely, but equally there’s a massive target for fans who maybe don’t want to play, but they’re the supporters who come and help the team. They might then want to go to their local club and help out in a different capacity. They might want to go and turn the floodlights on or go and work behind the bar.

“Whilst we want to grow rugby and get more people playing, actually we want the community to grow as well. That might be a volunteer, someone painting the lines or someone going down to their local rugby club and watching their team and buying a cup of coffee or a pint.

“That’s the great thing about rugby, there’s a place for everyone whether you’re on the pitch or on the sidelines.”