The World Cup, held in England, kicks off Friday with a match between the host team and the United States. International rugby authorities hope the tournament will mark a turning point for the sport.

Rugby authorities see America as a vital new market for the sport. The United States will stage the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the women’s tournament in 2033.

Thousands of people are set to descend on Sunderland to enjoy a parade and live music in celebration of the Women's Rugby World Cup. England are set to take on the USA in the opening match of the tournament at the Stadium of Light on later and the city centre is hosting events to promote the tournament.

The Women's Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday with competition hosts, England, hoping to rectify their 2022 World Cup final loss to New Zealand. Organisers say the tournament is set to break records for attendance with hundreds of thousands of tickets already sold.

An era-defining Women's Rugby World Cup has set records even before it kicks off on Friday when host England plays the United States in Sunderland.

England fans are struggling to buy replica Women’s Rugby World Cup shirts following a supply chain error by manufacturer Castore.

Dorothy Wall has identified Brittany Hogan as Ireland's player to watch out for ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup that starts this weekend.

Six years ago, the possiblity of filling 82,000 seats for a Women's Rugby World Cup final seemed fanciful. But a booming game has confounded expectations.