England prop Maud Muir (center) and her teammates during a team welcome ceremony on August 16, 2025, at Sunderland City Hall in England, where the Rugby Women's World Cup opens Friday. MIKE EGERTON/PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES/MAXPPP
Following New Zealand, it is now England's turn: The Rugby Women's World Cup kicks off Friday, August 22, with the host team – known as the Red Roses – facing the United States in Sunderland at 8:30 pm, Paris time. For five weeks, until September 27, the world's 16 best teams will compete for the ultimate trophy while trying to shine a spotlight on a sport eager to flourish.
France, an 'outsider,' dreams of a first final
Two months before the start of the tournament, Jean-Marc Lhermet, vice president of the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR, French Rugby Federation), said that "everything was in place" for Les Bleues to finish the World Cup "on the top step of the podium." However, he added, to ensure that their "ambitions are fulfilled," the squad led by Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz "is aiming for the semifinals." The French team's record in the competition's previous editions provided reason for optimism, with eight semifinals out of a possible nine. However, Les Bleues had never gone beyond. In 2022, New Zealand narrowly denied them a spot in the final (24-25).
