World Rugby launch Impact Beyond 2025 to harness the power of RWC 2025

World Rugby have launched Impact Beyond 2025, a global impact programme aiming to capture the long-standing positive impact of next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Three core themes underline Impact Beyond 2025 with an additional nine strategic initiatives which aim to make rugby stronger and more resilient.

The three themes: profile and participation, careers and gender equity, and capability and expertise have been designed to ensure that women and girls remain at the heart of advancements in rugby with increased opportunities created at each level.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

The first theme, profile and participation, focuses on inspiring more women and girls to embrace rugby by increasing the visibility of female athletes and sharing compelling stories behind teams and players.

World Rugby will harness its first bespoke girls’ participation programme, Rugby Rising Play, as its biggest driver for change.

The programme focuses on growing the teenage female player base globally and enables member unions to apply a tailored girls’ rugby programme, and has already seen 5,300 girls across nine unions play rugby for the first time in a successful pilot from 2023-2024.

The second theme, careers and gender equity, puts emphasis on inspiring, connecting, and retaining women in the rugby ecosystem.

World Rugby hope Impact Beyond 2025 will allow them to advance a global network of leaders who are passionate about boosting the women’s game.

Through the launch of a new Women’s Player Learning portal, in collaboration with the International Rugby Players’ association, players globally will be able to access groundbreaking personal development resources, on and off the field.

Across the world, ChildFund Rugby will host over 30 Grassroots to Global community forums, involving over 900 women in rugby, which will address barriers to women coaching at grassroots level.

Capability and expertise, the last of the three core themes, will enable enhanced capability and expertise within member unions to allow them to continue to grow the women’s game after the culmination of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025.

World Rugby will host its Women’s Rugby Global Summit during next year’s World Cup, and six regional Impact Beyond summits, taking place between 2024-2026, hope to boost local expertise.

Impact Beyond 2025 is launched with the aim of being a springboard for women’s rugby for generations to come worldwide after the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup to date in 2025.

World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 England will be an era-defining moment for the game. Not simply because it will be the biggest celebration of women’s rugby ever, but because it will change the game.

Our ambitious Impact Beyond 2025 programme will harness the incredible momentum of the tournament to guide strong and sustainable growth across all areas of the women’s game, a focus that will grow the game as a whole. We look forward to implementing the global Impact Beyond 2025 plan in partnership with our membership to create a tangible, targeted legacy.”

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 promises to be an era-defining celebration of rugby, as well as a catalyst for participation, economic and fan growth. Women and girls represent the most addressable opportunity to spearhead the growth of rugby and make a positive impact across the wider game and wider society.

“The time to act is now, and we are looking forward to working with unions and regions to implement initiatives that will strengthen the game on and off the field.”

ChildFund Rugby has been named as the Social Impact Partner for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and funds raised through RWC2025 ticket sales will support the Pass It Back initiative, which helps to make a lasting impact on vulnerable children across the world.

The rugby-focused initiative is built around promoting gender equality, empowering young people, and building life skills and confidence.

With under a year to go until RWC2025, pressure is mounting as teams prepare to play on the biggest stage. This year’s WXV competitions, which start on 27 September and run on three consecutive weekends across three regions until 12 October, are a vital pillar in fostering the development of the game.

WXV 3, hosted by the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, will see two teams claim the last remaining spots for next year’s World Cup with Spain, Madagascar, Hong Kong China, the Netherlands, and Samoa all in with a chance of qualifying.

WXV 1, held in Vancouver, will see six of the best teams in the world go head-to-head as they hope to strengthen their RWC preparations. WXV 2 will also be a key stepping stone for teams, with World Cup places set confirmed for Australia, Wales, Italy, and Scotland.