Overview
- England open against the United States on Friday, August 22 at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, with more than 40,000 expected for a record World Cup curtain-raiser.
- Head coach John Mitchell has kept the same starters from the France warm‑up, with Zoe Aldcroft captaining from blindside and Emily Scarratt named on the bench for a potential fifth World Cup appearance.
- BBC Sport will show every match in the UK, while CBS Sports and Paramount+ hold exclusive rights in the United States.
- World Rugby has restored a 16-team format for the first time since 2002 and confirmed that this year’s four semi‑finalists will qualify automatically for the 2029 edition.
- Top‑ranked hosts England enter as clear favourites after winning 57 of their past 58 tests, with New Zealand, France and Canada viewed as the main challengers.