London is set to cement its status as the global capital for women’s sports in 2025, hosting a packed calendar of world-class events that showcase the city’s commitment to promoting female
athletes. Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that London will welcome some of the most prestigious sporting competitions, drawing record-breaking crowds and global attention.
Rugby takes center stage
The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final at Twickenham promises to set a new benchmark with record attendance for a single-day women’s rugby event. Over 220,000 tickets have already been sold for the tournament, surpassing all previous editions in popularity. The final is expected to eclipse the 2023 record of 58,498 fans and could outdo the 66,000 attendees at Paris 2024’s women’s Olympic sevens final.
Before the World Cup finale, Twickenham will host a thrilling Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash on April 26, with England taking on France in a battle of the tournament’s top-ranked teams.
Tennis returns to Queen’s Club
In a historic milestone, women’s tennis will return to Queen’s Club for the first time in over 50 years. The WTA 500 tournament, starting June 9, will lead into the iconic Wimbledon Championships, offering a feast of elite tennis. Former British No.1 Laura Robson has been appointed Tournament Director, further amplifying excitement around the event.
Cricket’s blockbuster matches
England’s women’s cricket team will face India in high-stakes matches, starting with a T20 International at The Kia Oval on July 4 and an ODI at Lord’s on July 19. The inaugural Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day will also take place at The Kia Oval on July 27, followed by the popular Hundred competition in August, featuring London teams Oval Invincibles and London Spirit.
World-class athletics at London Stadium
On July 19, the London Stadium will host the 2025 London Athletics Meet as part of the Wanda Diamond League series. The event, renowned for attracting international stars like Dina Asher-Smith and Keely Hodgkinson, promises another stellar lineup.
Football dominates the scene
London’s reputation as a football powerhouse continues to grow. The England Lionesses will face Spain, the reigning World Champions, in a rematch of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final at Wembley Stadium on February 26. Additionally, Wembley will host the Adobe Women’s FA Cup final on May 18.
The city’s dominance in club football is evident, with nearly half of the teams in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) hailing from London. Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United will compete throughout the 2024/25 season, which resumes in September after a summer break.
Netball and basketball thrills
London Pulse, based at the Copper Box Arena, will compete in the Netball Super League (NSL) from March to July, with the NSL Grand Final slated for July 6 at the O2 Arena. On May 18, the O2 Arena will also host the Basketball Playoff Finals, where top teams from the women’s and men’s leagues will vie for the championship.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I’m so excited that London is set to be the undisputed global capital for women’s sport in 2025, with some of the world’s biggest events coming to our city next year.
“I am delighted that we will be playing host to the Women's Rugby World Cup, while we will also see the historic return of women’s tennis to the Queen’s Club. This is in addition to world class women’s cricket, football, netball, hockey, basketball and athletics in the capital.
“I would urge Londoners to take up the opportunity to attend some of these amazing events, cheering on our top athletes and sports women. Ensuring London hosts many of the world’s leading sporting events is an important part of our work building a better London for everyone.”
An estimated six million people attended sporting events across the capital this summer, including the UEFA Champions League Final and European Professional Club Rugby Finals, cementing London’s position as the undisputed sporting capital of the world.*
Polling from YouGov found that 62 per cent of Londoners feel proud of living in London when major sporting events are hosted, with 72 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds feeling proud. More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of Londoners think that hosting major sporting events impacts positively on London’s economy.**
The capital was also crowned the world’s leading sporting events host in the 2024 Global Cities Report as well as the best cultural experience destination.***
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, Sarah Massey said: “With the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 set to capture hearts and headlines globally, the anticipation for the tournament is reaching new heights.
“We've seen unprecedented demand for tickets across the tournament and with the iconic Twickenham Stadium hosting the final, fans can expect an unmissable experience and an incredible celebration of women's rugby on its biggest stage.”
The FA’s Women’s Technical Director, Kay Cossington said: “2025 is shaping up to be another momentous year for the women’s game and the Lionesses as we look forward to an unmissable EURO in the summer. Before then, the European champions will take on the world champions Spain at Wembley Stadium in February with another bumper crowd expected through the turnstiles.
“The Lionesses’ fixtures at Wembley are always so special and reminiscent of that memorable July day in 2022 when the team made history by lifting our first major trophy. Away from England, Wembley Stadium will once again play host to the landmark event in the domestic women’s calendar – the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final. With the final selling out Wembley for the last two seasons in a row, we’re expecting the May 2025 final to be another unmissable showpiece.”
The FA’s Women’s Technical Director, Kay Cossington said: “2025 is shaping up to be another momentous year for the women’s game and the Lionesses as we look forward to an unmissable EURO in the summer. Before then, the European champions will take on the world champions Spain at Wembley Stadium in February with another bumper crowd expected through the turnstiles.
“The Lionesses’ fixtures at Wembley are always so special and reminiscent of that memorable July day in 2022 when the team made history by lifting our first major trophy. Away from England, Wembley Stadium will once again play host to the landmark event in the domestic women’s calendar – the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final. With the final selling out Wembley for the last two seasons in a row, we’re expecting the May 2025 final to be another unmissable showpiece.”
The All England Lawn Tennis Club Chief Executive, Sally Bolton said: “There is no doubt that London is a sporting powerhouse and 2025 is set to be a year of fantastic women’s sport for the capital. We look forward to playing our part as we welcome the world to Wimbledon for the 138th staging of The Championship with the world’s best tennis players going head to head on the lawns of SW19.”
The ECB Director of Women’s Professional Game, Beth Barrett-Wild said: “Off the back of another year of extraordinary growth in 2024, we are set for an unmissable summer of women’s cricket in London in 2025.
“In June, England Women take on India with two huge games here in the capital; in July, the first ever Vitality T20 Blast Women’s Finals Day is coming to the Kia Oval; and across August, The Hundred will be front and centre with The Final at Lord’s.
“Last year The Hundred once again broke the global record for total attendance at a women’s cricket competition, with 320,000 fans in attendance, we’ll be hoping to see even more fans this year.
“All this sets the scene for a huge 2026 when we host the ICC Women's T20 World Cup here in England, with women’s cricket here in London at the centre of a global competition.”
Netball Super League Managing Director, Claire Nelson said: “We are incredibly excited to bring the Netball Super League Grand Final to The O2 for the very first time in 2025.
“The O2 is one of the most prestigious arenas in the world and will provide the perfect backdrop to a world class event and an unforgettable experience for fans, players and everyone involved. As we enter a new professional era for League, this event will be a major moment for our sport that will see us continue to push the boundaries to make our events bigger and better than ever before.”
UK Sport CEO, Sally Munday said: “2025 is going to be a spectacular year for women’s sport in the UK. In particular, we are incredibly excited about the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which is set to be a big celebration of Women's sport with huge potential to unite and inspire people right across the UK. The final at Twickenham Stadium promises to be one of the iconic sporting moments of next year.
“We know that live sport has a unique place in the hearts of the British public. As our nation’s capital, London is a crucial partner in making live sport matter and maintaining the UK's world-leading reputation for hosting major sporting events.
“We look forward to working together with the Mayor and his team to bring more of the biggest and best sporting events in the world to our shores in 2025 and beyond.” Photo by Egghead06, Wikimedia commons.