Women’s Rugby World Cup victories underscore sport’s potential in the U.S.

The GIST: This Saturday, England’s Red Roses won the Women’s Rugby World Cup at home, but the wins extend beyond the field. Global interest in women’s rugby is reaching a fever pitch and rising, setting it up as the next Olympic sport ripe for commercialization. But is rugby ready for its close-up in the U.S.? Let’s dive in.

💄 Ilona Maher: Since her social media breakout during Paris 2024, U.S. rugby star Maher has continued to make history, from her rising follower count to uplifting England’s Bristol Bears. She’s brought rugby to mainstream shows like Dancing with the Stars and the ESPYs, signed countless beauty brand deals, and has drawn crowds everywhere she goes — but Maher wants even more.

🏟️ World Cup attendance: Speaking of Maher, she and Team USA broke the record for a women’s World Cup crowd when 42,723 people showed up for an early round match. However, that mark was broken on Saturday when the championship drew 81,885 fans in a stadium sellout that was the second most-attended World Cup final ever, women’s or men’s.

💰 Financial support: The sport is garnering increased investment, from U.S. women’s rugby Sevens team’s $4M gift from Kynisca in 2024 to HSBC’s new global partnership with the Global Rugby Players Foundation. Women’s rugby is also drawing newcomers like Emirates and Unilever, which has an expansive deal for the next two World Cup tourneys.

🇺🇲 The U.S. conundrum: We’ve seen Team USA break domestic records twice this summer, but new pro league Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) doesn’t seem to be drawing the same fanfare. After signing a promising global broadcasting deal with DAZN, WER paused the deal indefinitely, whereas fans have been able to access USA Rugby on Paramount+ and at sports bars.

Zooming out: The hype for the national team is there, but it’s unclear if women’s rugby in the U.S. is ready to make the jump to a full-time league. While the USWNT has been beloved since the 1990s, it wasn’t until 2013 that a sustainable pro women’s soccer league materialized after many failed iterations.

• It might take time for the Team USA hype to funnel into a year-long league, but what matters is how that league is supported. Clearly there’s interest, but as we’ve seen with other women’s sports, WER is going to need an accessible, widespread media network picking up the game in order to convert new fans. It’s worth a try.