Women's Rugby World Cup fixtures and BBC coverage

England won the 2025 Women's Six Nations thanks to a 43-42 win over France in a thrilling Grand Slam decider at Twickenham

The 10th edition of the Women's Rugby World Cup takes place in England from 22 August to 27 September, with coverage of every match live on the BBC.

Host nation England are the favourites, but defending champions New Zealand, as well Canada, France and Australia, will all fancy their chances of lifting the trophy at Twickenham Stadium.

Scotland, Wales and Ireland will all seek to impress, while global superstar Ilona Maher of the United States will look to leave her mark on the tournament.

The competition has been expanded from the 12 teams that took part in 2022, with 16 sides participating, including debutants Brazil.

BBC Sport has coverage of the tournament on TV, iPlayer, digital platforms, radio and BBC Sounds.

Every match involving England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will be shown live on either BBC One or BBC Two, while every game will be live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app.

There will also be live radio commentary of every England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland match on Radio 5 Live or Sport Extra, as well as live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app.

What are the pools and tournament format?

Pool A: England, Australia, United States, Samoa

Pool B: Canada, Scotland, Wales, Fiji

Pool C: New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Spain

Pool D: France, Italy, South Africa, Brazil

The top two teams from each pool qualify for the knockout stage.

Going on seedings that would mean England (1), Canada (2), New Zealand (3), France (4), Australia (5), Ireland (6), Scotland (7) and Italy (8) would all advance to the last eight.

The quarter-finals are on 13 and 14 September

The semi-finals are on 19 and 20 September

The third-place play-off and the World Cup final take place on 27 September

Where are the matches being played?

Matches take place at eight venues:

• Twickenham Stadium in London (third-place play-off and the final)

• Ashton Gate in Bristol (two quarter-finals and both semi-finals)

• Sandy Park in Exeter (pool games and two quarter-finals)

• Stadium of Light in Sunderland (hosts England v USA in the tournament's opening game)

• Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium

• Salford Community Stadium

• Franklin's Gardens in Northampton

• York Community Stadium

Previous World Cup finals

There have been nine Women's World Cups but only three nations have won it.

New Zealand have won the tournament a record six times and have beaten England in five of the past six finals.

England have lifted the trophy twice - in 1994 and most recently in 2014.

The United States won the inaugural tournament in Cardiff.

2021: New Zealand 34-31 England, Eden Park, Auckland*

*competition postponed to 2022 because of Covid pandemic

2017: New Zealand 41-23 England, Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast

2014: England 21-9 Canada, Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris

2010: New Zealand 13-10 England, Twickenham Stoop, London

2006: New Zealand 25-17 England, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton

2002: New Zealand 19-9 England, Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

1998: New Zealand 44-12 USA, National Rugby Centre Stadium, Amsterdam

1994: England 38-23 USA, Raeburn Place, Edinburgh

1991: USA 19-6 England, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Pool fixtures, kick-off times and BBC coverage

All times are BST and subject to change. The BBC cannot take any responsibility for any late changes.

Friday 22 August

Pool A: England v USA (19:30), Stadium of Light - BBC One from 18:30

Saturday 23 August

Pool A: Australia v Samoa (12:00), Salford Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool B: Scotland v Wales (14:45), Salford Community Stadium - BBC One from 14:15

Pool B: Canada v Fiji (17:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool D: France v Italy (20:15), Sandy Park - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Sunday 24 August

Pool C: Ireland v Japan (12:00), Franklin's Gardens - BBC Two and BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle from 11:45

Pool D: South Africa v Brazil (14:45), Franklin's Gardens - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool C: New Zealand v Spain (17:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Saturday 30 August

Pool B: Canada v Wales (12:00), Salford Community Stadium - BBC Two from 11:45

Pool B: Scotland v Fiji (14:45), Salford Community Stadium - BBC Two from 14:15

Pool A: England v Samoa (17:00), Franklin's Gardens - BBC Two from 16:30

Pool A: USA v Australia (19:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Sunday 31 August

Pool C: Ireland v Spain (12:00), Franklin's Gardens - BBC Two and BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle from 11:45

Pool C: New Zealand v Japan (14:00), Sandy Park - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool D: Italy v South Africa (15:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool D: France v Brazil (16:45), Sandy Park - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Saturday 6 September

Pool B: Canada v Scotland (12:00), Sandy Park - BBC Two from 11:45

Pool A: USA v Samoa (13:30), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool B: Wales v Fiji (14:45), Sandy Park - BBC Two from 14:15

Pool A: England v Australia (17:00), Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium - BBC Two from 16:40

Sunday 7 September

Pool C: Japan v Spain (12:00), York Community Stadium - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool D: Italy v Brazil (14:00), Franklin's Gardens - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Pool C: New Zealand v Ireland (14:45), Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium - BBC Two from 14:30 and and BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle from 14:00,

Pool D: France v South Africa (16:45), Franklin's Gardens - iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app

Quarter-final fixtures, kick-off times and BBC coverage

Saturday 13 September

Quarter-final 1: Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D (13:00), Sandy Park - BBC Two from 12:30

Quarter-final 2: Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A (16:00), Ashton Gate - BBC Two from 15:30

Sunday 14 September

Quarter-final 3: Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C (13:00), Sandy Park - BBC Two from 12:30

Quarter-final 4: Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B (16:00), Ashton Gate - BBC One from 15:30

Semi-final fixtures, kick-off times and BBC coverage

Friday 19 September

Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 (19:00), Ashton Gate - BBC Two from 18:30

Saturday 20 September

Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 (15:30), Ashton Gate - BBC One from 14:45

Final, kick-off time and BBC coverage

Saturday 27 September

Third-place play-off final (12:30), Twickenham - BBC Two from 11:45

World Cup final (16:00), Twickenham - BBC One from 15:00