Salford welcomes Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy on countdown to 2025 tournament

Salford played host to the official Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 trophy on Friday 30 May, as part of a nationwide tour celebrating fewer than 100 days to go until the tournament kicks off.

The prestigious trophy toured several locations across the city, beginning the day at Eccles RFC where local schoolchildren, university students and grassroots rugby teams took part in rugby sessions led by the Sale Sharks Foundation.

The visit continued with a stop at BBC Sport’s studios at MediaCity, before a public celebration at The Lowry Plaza. Crowds gathered for the chance to see the trophy up close, take part in family-friendly rugby activities, and join in the countdown to the world’s biggest women’s rugby tournament.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett joined the event at the Quays, alongside Deputy City Mayor Councillor Jack Youd, Councillor Hannah Robinson-Smith Lead Member for Culture, Heritage, Equalities, Sports and Leisure, and former England captain and Rugby World Cup winner Gill Burns MBE, who were part of the day’s celebrations across the city.

The Salford leg of the trophy tour marks an exciting milestone in the build-up to the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, which will see Salford host several matches at Salford Community Stadium in the summer.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

"Salford is proud to be one of the host cities for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and we were delighted to welcome the trophy to the Quays. This is a major international sporting event, and we hope it inspires people of all ages across our city to get involved - whether that’s playing rugby, supporting their local clubs or being part of the action in the summer."

With more than 300,000 tickets already sold, the tournament is set to be the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history. Fans can now buy tickets for matches across all eight host cities.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 will take place across England from 22 August to 27 September 2025. Salford Community Stadium will host some of the world’s top teams, promising a summer of unmissable sporting action.