PWR average attendances up 23.4% after England's World Cup win

Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) said average attendances rose by 23.4% during the 2025-26 season, a rise the league says was aided by England winning a home World Cup at Twickenham in September 2025. Saracens defeated first-time finalists Trailfinders to win the 2025-26 PWR title.

The season concluded in June with Saracens securing a record fourth title. The reported increases come despite the departure of United States star Ilona Maher from Bristol Bears.

PWR reported a 132% increase in social media following, a 310% growth in its database and more than 111 million views across YouTube, Meta and TikTok, which it said represented a 174% increase in viewing figures.

Last season was the first during which every PWR match was broadcast live across platforms including TNT Sports, BBC Sport and YouTube.

PWR executive chair Genevieve Shore said the figures were encouraging given the high benchmark set by the 2024-25 season. "Ilona's impact was extraordinary," Shore said. "It brought a huge amount of attention to our league and to our players, and we should absolutely celebrate that. "So when you look at the fact that we have continued to grow from there, post-World Cup and after that incredible spike in interest, I think that is particularly encouraging. "We can see growth across so many different areas of the business, and that gives us confidence that the work we're doing is truly connecting with fans."

The nine-team PWR, which was launched in 2023 following the rebrand of the Premier 15s, is set to begin its 2026-27 season in November.