Recently we saw the Red Roses crowned champions of the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC), beating Canada 33–13 in a sell-out match at Twickenham. That’s 82,000 seats filled with women’s rugby fans — a huge moment for women’s sport!

This victory comes less than two months after the Lionesses brought home the Euros for the second time running. Long story short: the women are killing it. In fact, they’re consistently outperforming the men in their categories.

 

Let’s take a quick look at previous winning years for the men’s teams:

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• Last Men’s Euros win: Yet to be won¹

• Last Men’s Football World Cup win: 1966

• Last Men’s Six Nations win: 2020²

• Last Men’s Rugby World Cup win: 2003³

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Now, looking to the women:

• Last Women’s Euros win: 2025⁴

• Last Women’s Football World Cup win: Yet to be won⁵

• Last Women’s Six Nations win: 2025⁶

• Last Women’s Rugby World Cup win: 2025⁷

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The Lionesses also won the 2022 Euros, while the Red Roses have achieved World Cup victories in 1994 and 2014, plus Six Nations success in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 — impressively consistent, to say the least.

That’s probably enough showing off for now — back to the point.

If your algorithm looks anything like mine, since Saturday (and throughout the World Cup), your FYP will have been filled with emotional footage: players’ backstories, fathers and daughters watching together, and of course, the team’s euphoric celebrations. These clips celebrate the long road to equality forged by the players, supporters, and stakeholders of the game — though of course, it hasn’t been easy.

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The first Women’s Six Nations in 1991 was the result of a hard-fought battle by players to be included in major tournaments. Those in charge refused to sanction the games, meaning the women had to pay for their own kit, travel, and accommodation.⁹ Despite this, viewership has consistently increased, with crowds almost doubling year-on-year until finally reaching a sell-out at the Allianz — the most attended women’s rugby match in history.¹⁰

Why does this matter? First, it proves that women are the ultimate grafters. After being told “no” and actively worked against by the organisers of the sport they love, they’ve still built a huge global audience — and a powerful community.

This rise has also been driven by players who’ve carved out names for themselves through social media. One standout: Ilona Maher, USA Rugby Sevens player and all-round icon.

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Maher grew her following by 257% between June and August 2024¹¹, during the Paris Olympics. After winning bronze with the US Olympic team, she joined Bristol Bears to expand her experience in the union game ahead of the World Cup. Her first game with the team saw record-breaking ticket sales¹², forcing the match to move to the larger Ashton Gate stadium to accommodate demand.¹³

Maher’s message — that strong is beautiful — has resonated deeply. She champions self-love, body confidence, and celebrating your own success. Despite the US being knocked out early, she stayed on to vocally support other teams and players, particularly her former Bears teammates.

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Secondly, it’s clear that the sporting landscape is changing. As Robert Kitson put it, rugby has traditionally been watched by “a whiter shade of male”¹⁴, but this tournament has shifted that narrative. The Red Roses have made rugby for the girls, yes — but the bigger message is that rugby is for everyone. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you look like, this sport welcomes you.

We’ve also seen some impressive brand partnerships emerge around this year’s WRWC, capitalising on growing fandom and the spotlight on women’s sport.

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• Ocean Outdoor were named the official DOOH provider for the WRWC¹⁵, responsible for outdoor placements and fan zones.

• Unilever activated multi-channel partnerships, spanning multiple tournaments¹⁶ — showing true commitment through association.

• Asahi used the WRWC to launch a £2 million campaign driving footfall into pubs to support the games.¹⁷

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At PASHN, here’s what we’d recommend for brands looking to join this movement:

• Build authentic partnerships — now’s the time to form meaningful collaborations with women’s teams and players that can grow into future tournaments.

• Invest in presence and storytelling. Go beyond “come to the game” ads; create emotional, community-led campaigns across DOOH, digital, and TV — especially in non-sport settings where new audiences live.

• Leverage fan zones and experiential activations. Fan zones and interactive experiences build positive associations and generate organic content that amplifies reach and loyalty.

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To summarise, this summer has been a cracker for women’s sport — with three major trophies coming home to British soil. We can’t wait to see what’s next: England’s women’s cricket team are kicking off their World Cup campaign this week, and we’ll be cheering them (and all national teams) on.

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We’re also looking forward to seeing brands continue to back women’s sport — and we’re here to help our clients make that happen through meaningful activations and partnerships.

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You know where to find us. 😉