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.?

The Red Roses did so much more than trounce France in the Women’s Rugby World Cup semis — they reached a record 3.3M peak audience across domestic broadcaster BBC Sport’s platforms. As the tournament continues in the UK, let’s review the viewership, attendance, and social media wins so far as we consider the women’s rugby opportunity ahead.

Last Friday, 10.5K fans showed up at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium to watch the USA Rugby women’s 15s take on Team Canada. While the bout resulted in a loss for the Americans, the game set a new U.S. attendance record for the sport fueled by its recent surge in popularity.

Rugby star Ilona Maher has steadily built a social media following, and when her talents — and persona — were on full display at the 2024 Paris Olympics, her rising star turned supernova. Since then, Maher’s golden touch has brought increased attention to Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) and, most recently, U.K. rugby’s Bristol Bears.

Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) announced plans Wednesday to launch its inaugural season in 2025. WER will be the first pro women’s rugby league in the U.S., replacing the existing semi-pro Women’s Premier League (WPL).

As part of its rugby-centric #GameFace campaign, Clinique beauty brand inked a deal with English star Holly Aitchison yesterday as England prepares to host the next women’s World Cup in 2025.

New Zealand lifted their sixth rugby world title in front of 42K spectators at Auckland’s Eden Park, capping off a record-shattering tournament with women’s rugby’s largest-ever crowd.