Bristol will host the Women’s Rugby World Cup knockout matches next year

Next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup will be held in Bristol and some of the biggest matches of the tournament will be played at Ashton Gate Stadium. The venue confirmed on Wednesday (June 26) that it will be “the premier knockout venue for the 10th edition of the global tournament”, hosting not only the two semi-finals but also two of the four quarter-finals.

It follows the announcement in 2023 that Ashton Gate has been named as one of the host venues for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025. The tournament will start on 22 August 2025 and conclude with the final on 27 September.

The quarter-finals at Ashton Gate will take place on the weekend of September 13 and the semi-finals on the weekend of September 19 to decide the finalists for Twickenham Stadium on September 27.

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Ross Wormald, Chief Operating Officer for Ashton Gate Ltd, said: “It is an honor for the Stadium to host four of the six knockout matches of the world’s premier women’s rugby tournament. Ashton Gate is firmly established as a leading international sporting venue with a track record of delivering world-class events.

“We have a highly skilled and committed staff and preparations are underway to ensure we deliver the best experience for fans, players and coaches in September 2025.”

Ashton Gate is home to the Bristol Sport Group, which includes the Bristol Bears men’s and women’s rugby teams, Bristol City men’s and women’s football teams, Bristol Flyers basketball and the clubs’ respective charities. On March 30 this year, England’s Women’s Six Nations match attracted a record attendance for a home game with the Red Roses in the tournament outside Twickenham.

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A total of 19,705 fans turned up to show their support for the ladies on the ground. Meanwhile, in February 2023, the stadium hosted the Arnold Clark football doubleheader of 26,169 Lionesses.

The Reds will play Northampton and Brighton and Hove in the group stages of next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup tournament, with the potential to play the quarter-final match at Ashton Gate if they progress.

Bristol Bears and England international Lark Atkin-Davies added: “Ashton Gate is a fantastic stadium. It’s always amazing whether I’m wearing a Bears shirt or an England shirt – the fans are unreal.

“The noise and atmosphere go to another level when I play for the Red Roses, so to have my home stadium confirmed as the venue for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the World Cup next year will be incredible. I just hope I get to run in front of a home crowd!”

You can register your interest in tickets via this link.