England's opening Women's Rugby World Cup match against the USA peaked at 2.4 million viewers as the tournament delivered record-breaking figures in its opening weekend. The 69-7 victory was watched by an average 1.5 million viewers on BBC One, demonstrating unprecedented interest in women's rugby.
The 42,723 crowd at Sunderland's Stadium of Light surpassed the attendance for the previous World Cup final four years ago in New Zealand. This massive turnout signals a new era for the women's game, with fans flocking to witness England's dominant performance.
Tournament breaks records
The Women's Rugby World Cup has already surpassed 400,000 tickets sold ahead of the second round of matches this weekend. The 82,000-capacity Allianz Stadium, which will host the final, has completely sold out, underlining the tournament's commercial success.
Major sponsorship deals with Mastercard, Capgemini, Gallagher, Asahi and Defender have elevated the competition's profile. Organisers hope this edition will set new standards for women's rugby, following the path of the Euro 2022 Lionesses who achieved sporting stardom.
The tournament's international appeal was demonstrated when France's match against Italy peaked at 3.2 million viewers on TF1, according to The Guardian. The opening round featured an average victory margin of 47 points with no close matches, raising questions about competitive balance.
England's dominance continues
England enter the tournament as overwhelming favourites to lift their first Women's Rugby World Cup since 2014. The Guardian reports the team arrives with a 28-match winning streak, making them the standout contenders for the title.
The team will play Samoa at Franklin's Gardens in Northampton this weekend before facing Australia at Brighton's Amex Stadium. Tickets for both remaining pool fixtures are sold out, with knockout match tickets selling rapidly.
England's potential path includes quarter-finals and semi-finals at Bristol's Ashton Gate before a possible final at Twickenham. However, the favourites tag could prove challenging, as it did in 2021 when they lost the final despite being overwhelming favourites.
The Scotsman reveals the trophy has been upgraded for this year's competition, now featuring sterling silver and 24-carat gold with a world map design. World Rugby representatives will close the London Stock Exchange today, marking the tournament's significance to the sport.
Sources used: "City A.M", "The Guardian", "The Scotsman" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
