The National Lottery: changing the game for women and girls rugby
13th Awst 2025
As part of our Summer of Sports campaign, we're celebrating how National Lottery funding has developed women and girls' rugby from grassroots through to elite level. As England prepares to host the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the spotlight
Long before women's sport enjoyed the recognition it has today, The National Lottery was already investing in its future. For over 30 years, National Lottery players have raised millions for Good Causes every week, helping to change the game for women and girls rugby.
A landmark moment for rugby
This will be the most accessible Women’s Rugby World Cup yet, with matches taking place across eight cities in England and 16 teams competing to be crowned world champions. The tournament is set to be a landmark moment for the sport. It will not only showcase elite talent, but also inspire new fans, players and communities across the country and beyond.
30 years of changing the game
The National Lottery has backed women and girls sport at every level, helping create more chances for women to play, lead, coach and compete. Since 1994, £6.8 billion has been invested in over 90,000 grassroots sports projects across the UK, changing the game for women and girls' rugby. This funding has helped expand access to coaching, grow school and community sessions, support female coaches and leaders, improve and develop facilities, and build the foundations to keep more women and girls in the game.
This support spans the entire UK. In Wales, a three-phase development programme ensures no girl is more than an hour away from quality rugby coaching. In Scotland, dedicated women's and girls' initiatives are supported through grassroots rugby funding, whilst Scottish Rugby's Women and Girls' Strategy is powered by National Lottery funding.
In Northern Ireland, investment is helping to build the next generation of sporting heroines through women's and girls' rugby development. In England, the host nation for the World Cup, programmes are expanding access to coaching, growing school and community sessions, and supporting female coaches and leaders to build the foundations for the sport's future.
The bigger picture
From iconic venues like the Principality Stadium (£46 million investment) in Cardiff to grassroots clubs in every corner of the UK, this support has provided countless opportunities for women and girls of all ages to discover the game they love, learn new skills from teammates and coaches, build lasting friendships, and experience the unique spirit that makes rugby so special. For 30 years, the National Lottery has been a foundational and consistent supporter of women's and girls' sport in the UK
The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 isn’t just about elite sport; it’s about the thousands of girls who picked up a ball for the first time and found the confidence and community that rugby brings.
Behind every medal and every try: many journeys in women and girls' rugby have been powered by National Lottery players.