World Rugby updates its women’s game growth research

World Rugby released a refreshed edition of its Blueprint for Growth report on women’s rugby. The research was commissioned in early 2025 across seven markets and the update incorporated the context of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Among the women’s rugby fans surveyed, 49 per cent had become fans within the previous two years and 55 per cent expected their interest to increase. Television and streaming were reported as a discovery route by 53 per cent, while player visibility featured in engagement findings.

The federation presented the research as evidence for developing the women’s game and expanding audiences. The percentages refer to the surveyed fan sample in the selected markets; they should not be treated as estimates for the entire global population or as proof that one factor caused audience growth.