The Women's Rugby World Cup could be held in England for the second time in a little more than a decade after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced plans to host the tournament in 2025.
No country has hosted the Women's Rugby World Cup on more than one occasion to date, but England—who welcomed the competition to its shores in 2010—will hope to become the first.
New Zealand are scheduled to defend their world title on home soil in 2022 after the global pandemic forced organisers to postpone this year's tournament.
That will mean there's only a three-year wait until the contest returns in 2025, but World Rugby has yet to announce a host for that edition.
The RFU will submit its final host bid to World Rugby in January, and chief executive Bill Sweeney spoke hopefully that the 2025 tournament could be the most attended competition of its kind to date.
"Securing RWC 2025 would add to the impressive list of major sporting events that the UK has attracted since London 2012, reinforcing the UK's international reputation as a leading major events' destination and a global leader in promoting women's sport," he said after plans for a bid were confirmed on Friday.
"As well as providing great economic returns, hosting the tournament would help to further promote rugby as an inclusive sport and provide a springboard to narrow the gap between male and female participation."
It's proposed that World Cup pool fixtures could be held around England, while backers of the bid hope to sell out Twickenham for the final.
A recent study by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre suggested hosting the women's competition could 'boost the United Kingdom's economy by £156.25million'.
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RFU chairman Tom Ilube confirmed in September that England is also hoping to host the men's Rugby World Cup in 2031, having last staged that tournament in 2015.
The Red Roses won the Women's Rugby World Cup when it was played in France in 2014, beating Canada 21-9 to clinch a second global crown, 20 years after winning their first in Scotland.
New Zealand are the only other team to have lifted the trophy in that time and have won five of the past six tournaments, hoping to prolong that period of success in front of their own fans next year.
The RFU cited growing interest in women's rugby in England as cause for hope, with the number of registered club players rising from 13,000 in 2014 to 40,000 today.
Bid plans also included mention of a legacy programme that would focus on three main areas: Facility development, the recruitment of female coaches and referees, and grassroots education.
Former England captain Sue Day, who now serves as the RFU's chief operations and finance officer, said: “Securing a bid to host the Women’s RWC would be incredible. We want to leave a lasting legacy for women’s rugby in England, the UK and across the world, both in terms of attracting more people to play and attracting new fans.
“As we have seen from other home World Cups in cricket, hockey and netball a RWC would further advance all women’s sport and nothing would beat watching the Red Roses compete in front of a full capacity crowd at Twickenham Stadium.”
