YEARENDER – Sport: Women's sport thrives in 2025 with unprecedented growth, famous victories

MANILA, Philippines – A deafening roar at Twickenham Stadium capped a landmark 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup that shattered attendance records, while India’s first-ever Women’s Cricket World Cup title ignited nationwide celebrations and underscored a transformative year for women’s sports.

A’ja Wilson delivered a jaw-dropping WNBA season that redefined dominance, while Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stunned the athletics world by claiming a world title at a new distance in the 400 meters.

Beyond unforgettable performances, the year was defined by expanding leagues, soaring television audiences, and increased advertising investment, sending women’s sports into 2026 with unprecedented momentum.

RUGBY WORLD CUP BREAKS RECORDS

England both hosted and won a Women’s Rugby World Cup that reset expectations for the sport.

More than 440,000 tickets were sold—three times the number from the 2021 edition—culminating in a historic final at Twickenham, where 81,885 fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s rugby match, watched England’s Red Roses defeat Canada 33–13.

Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s chief of women’s rugby, called the event “something girls’ dreams are made of.”

More than half of the spectators were female, and 50% were attending their first-ever women’s rugby match. The tournament also generated a peak television audience of 5.8 million viewers in the UK.

While the United States did not advance beyond the pool stage, American star Ilona Maher used the global spotlight to cement her status as the world’s most-followed rugby player—male or female—with more than nine million followers across Instagram and TikTok.

WNBA SOARS AGAIN

The WNBA reached new heights, bolstered by expansion to 13 teams and the electrifying play of MVP Wilson, who led the Las Vegas Aces to their third championship in four seasons.

The season delivered record-breaking viewership and attendance, sharp rises in merchandise sales, and major new media rights deals.

After welcoming the Golden State Valkyries this year, the league will expand to 15 teams in 2026 with new franchises in Toronto and Portland. Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia are set to follow, bringing the total to 18 teams by 2030.

Wilson became the league’s first four-time MVP, captured her third Defensive Player of the Year award, and earned Finals MVP honors. She also graced the cover of Time magazine, prompting Nike to launch an ad declaring, “Only a magazine can cover her.”

INDIA CLAIMS MAIDEN CRICKET TITLE

India’s breakthrough victory at the Women’s Cricket World Cup turned the streets of Mumbai into a carnival, with fireworks lighting the night sky as fans danced, honked horns, and celebrated.

Similar scenes played out nationwide as fans gathered around televisions in tea stalls and homes, marking a cultural milestone that sent the brand value of India’s top women cricketers soaring.

MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE MAKES HISTORY

In athletics, McLaughlin-Levrone delivered one of the year’s most breathtaking performances at the World Championships, seamlessly transitioning from the 400-meter hurdles to win the flat 400 meters.

Her time of 47.78 seconds was the fastest in 40 years and the second-fastest in history, trailing only East Germany’s Marita Koch during the nation’s state-sponsored doping era.

EUROS HIT NEW HIGHS

In soccer, the Women’s European Championship in Switzerland reached new peaks, surpassing ticket sales from the 2022 tournament with two matches still to be played.

Switzerland’s surprise run to its first-ever quarterfinal sparked renewed interest in women’s soccer in a country better known for producing elite skiers and tennis players.

“We lost the game, but I think we gained a lot,” coach Pia Sundhage said after the hosts fell to Spain. “When people shouted my name, I felt they were shouting for women’s football.”

European champions Arsenal also shattered the women’s transfer record by signing Canadian forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool for one million pounds ($1.34 million), making her the first female player to break the seven-figure barrier.

WOMEN’S SPORTS EXTEND THEIR REACH

The year also marked rapid expansion across women’s sports, with several new leagues launching in 2025.

The Unrivaled 3x3 women’s basketball league, co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, provided a domestic option for players to compete in the U.S. during the WNBA off-season. Rose BC, led by Chelsea Gray, captured the inaugural title.

Despite being a startup league, Unrivaled paid players an average salary of $220,000, nearly double the WNBA’s average annual salary of $120,000.

Investors include tennis legend Serena Williams, NBA players Trae Young, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner, and soccer star Alex Morgan. Warner Bros. Discovery, which holds exclusive media rights, recently increased its stake in the league.

Other leagues debuting in 2025 included the Women’s Professional Baseball League, the first U.S. professional women’s baseball league since 1954, League One Volleyball, and Canada’s Northern Super League, the country’s first professional women’s soccer competition. -Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters