England v USA Women's Rugby World Cup opener fantastic news for Sunderland

That's the verdict of Sunderland City Council Leader Councillor Michael Mordey on today's announcement that England has drawn the USA in next summer's Women's Rugby World Cup opener.

England's Red Roses kick off the tournament's opening match against the USA at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on 22 August next year.

Today's release of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 match schedule sets the stage for six weekends of compelling competition in the biggest ever celebration of women's rugby.

Reacting to the news, Council Mordey, said: "It's brilliant that England has drawn the USA at next summer's opening match in Sunderland.

"Sunderland has a very special relationship with the USA, from the ancestral links between Washington Old Hall and George Washington dating back from 1183 to the Friendship Agreement Sunderland signed with the US capital Washington DC in 2006 which has created so many opportunities over the years.

"We've also seen significant investment and employment in Sunderland from American-owned companies over the years, such as Lear, Adient, UK Independent Medical Services, Apexon and Rayovac, to name just a few, creating valuable jobs for people across the city. While our young people have benefitted from a number of exchanges as a result of our unique Friendship Agreement - with Monkwearmouth Academy welcoming young people from School without Walls in Washington DC to the city and to City Hall just in the last couple of weeks.

"So, it's incredibly exciting to have England playing the USA in the opening match of the Women's Rugby World Cup in our city. And I'm very much looking forward to welcoming the US team and their fans, swelling the numbers we're already looking to welcome from across the world. It will also be a real thriller for sports fans from across the North East.

"I think there'll be a really electric atmosphere in our city that night and I would urge anyone who hasn't already got their tickets to look out for the next ticket releases coming soon.

"Hosting the opening game is a wonderful opportunity for our city and our region to shine on the international stage at a time when Sunderland city centre is going through a £2 billion transformation so it's brilliant news all round."

The last few years have seen a massive surge of interest in women's rugby and women's sport in general both locally and nationally.

And tournament organisers, World Rugby say the match schedule has been developed with team and fan experience at heart, with exciting matchups in each of the eight host locations, family friendly kick-off times, inexpensive match tickets and optimised team travel.

With 95 per cent of the population in England within two hours of a match venue, fans will have an unprecedented opportunity to see rugby's biggest stars in action, while host cities are getting ready to welcome international travelling fans with iconic and vibrant local experiences.

With excitement building, fans will have the opportunity to apply for tickets for all matches from 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 5 November until 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 19 November. Ballots will be used for any price categories which are oversubscribed. Fans can register to be the first to hear about ticket news here.

Prior to the two-week ticket application phase, Worldwide Partner Mastercard is offering its cardholders access to a 48-hour priority sale for all matches from 11:00 (GMT+1) today until 11:00 (GMT+1) on Thursday 24 October at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Only Mastercard payments will be accepted during this priority window.

American companies in the city employ over 3,000 people and Sunderland is also home to a number of businesses with plants both here and in the US, including Nissan and AESC, as well as Lear, Adient and Vantec, which promises to bring the opening match into day to day life across our communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

Sunderland's friendship agreement with Washington DC also led to the creation of the popular Sunderland Shorts Film Festival which continues to go from strength to strength. The annual festival, which will celebrate its 10^th birthday in 2025, proudly showcases the best short films from the UK and around the world including Australia and the United States of America, while championing homegrown talent from the region.