Overview

• England face the United States in the opening match at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light at 7.30pm BST, with organisers expecting a record 40,000-plus crowd even if some seats remain unsold.
• The five-week tournament features 16 teams and 32 matches across England, with more than 375,000 tickets already sold.
• A late-September final at Twickenham is projected to draw about 82,000 fans, which would be the largest attendance for a women’s rugby match.
• England enter as heavy favourites after a 27-match unbeaten run, led by coach John Mitchell and a squad stacked with recent award winners.
• Star power and resources are uneven, with USA centre Ilona Maher drawing a global following in the millions while teams such as Canada and Samoa have sought financial support to compete.