London sees 1.4m attend women’s sporting events

Almost 1.4 million people watched women’s sport in the capital this year, London’s mayor said.

Events included the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham, which set a new world record as the most attended Women’s Rugby Union match in history, as well as tennis, athletics, hockey, basketball and netball tournaments.

Sally Munday, CEO of UK Sport, said: “This summer has shown that the UK is leading the way as a global home of Women’s Sport and London is key to its unstoppable rise.”

Sir Sadiq Khan said London had delivered “emphatically” as a “global capital for women’s sport”.

More than 81,000 people watched the Women’s Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham, surpassing the record of 58,498 people who watched England beat France at the stadium in the 2023 Six Nations.

In June, 62,000 spectators flocked to West Kensington for the Queen’s Club Championship, with women players returning to the tennis venue for the first time in more than 50 years.

This was followed by the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which saw 548,770 guests pass through the gates over the fortnight.

Also in July, the London Athletics Meeting, the world’s largest one-day track and field event, sold out the 60,000-capacity London Stadium in Stratford, where athletes including Olympic medalists Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson were in action.

Sir Sadiq said: “Our capital has successfully hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the thrilling Women’s Rugby World Cup final and the historic return of women’s tennis to Club Queen,” he said.

“London has also provided the iconic backdrop for some unforgettable celebrations, including the open bus parade through central London for our triumphant lionesses.

“These events provide a global spotlight on the capital and inspire young Londoners, particularly girls, to get involved in grassroots sport.”