The city will host England’s Red Roses as they take on the USA on Friday, August 22, at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in the opening match of the tournament.
The day will also feature a pre-match performance from pop star Anne-Marie, a Fan Village in Keel Square in the city centre, and a colourful fan parade.
A spectacular firework display over the river will end the day at around 10.15pm.
Councillor Beth Jones, cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re really excited to be hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 on Friday, August 22.
“We’re very much looking forward to welcoming two of the world’s best women’s rugby teams and the many thousands of fans from home and abroad and we want everyone to have a brilliant time while they’re here.
“So our advice is to plan your journey in advance and give yourself plenty of time to get there.”
As thousands of rugby fans are expected to descend on the city, key partners including Sunderland City Council, Sunderland AFC, transport operators and Nexus have implemented travel and transport plans to avoid congestion on public transport and roads.
Fans opting for public transport can take the Metro to St Peters or the Stadium of Light stations, both a short distance from the stadium.
However, Nexus has warned that services from Newcastle are likely to be busy before the match and there will be long queues at both metro stations post-match.
For those travelling by car, no spectator parking is available at the Stadium of Light and a number of local road closures are in place on match day, including St Mary’s Boulevard in the city centre.
Limited pre-bookable parking is available at the new Station Car park in Holmeside for a flat fee of £7 for the day.
All other city car parks are open on a first come first served basis.
Drivers should anticipate congestion and allow plenty of time for their journey.
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A free, wheelchair accessible match day shuttle is in operation for ticketholders with various pick up points along Wessington Way / Alexandria Avenue.
It operates every 10 minutes from 90 minutes before kick-off until one hour after the final whistle.
For more information on travelling to Sunderland and to buy tickets for the match, fans are urged to visit the official Rugby World Cup 2025 website.
