- Women’s sporting events in London last year include record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup Final and the return of women’s tennis to Queens for the first time in over 50 years
- Collaboration between Mayor and London’s event partners boosted access and participation to sport for over 5,500 young Londoners
- More of the world’s biggest women’s sporting events are set for London, including ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final this month and Tour de France Femmes in 2027
- Sadiq is supporting bids for the world’s biggest sporting events, including the 2029 World Athletics Championships and FIFA Women’s 2035 World Cup, while calling for London’s involvement in potential future Olympic and Paralympic Games
- 89% of people would like capital to continue hosting major sports and women’s sporting events in the future, demonstrating overwhelming support from Londoners to bring more of these sporting events to the capital
Flagship women’s sporting events hosted in the capital last year delivered a major boost of over £54.7 million for London’s economy, new analysis by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has revealed.
Having declared London as the undisputed global capital for women’s sport, the Mayor revealed last year that over 1.4 million fans had flocked to London in 2025 to see women’s sport in the capital, including for the record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham. [1]
The Women’s Rugby World Cup Final in September, which saw England claim a historic 33-13 victory over Canada, was a sellout of 81,885 spectators, setting a new world record as the most attended women’s rugby match in history. It was also the most watched women’s rugby union match ever on UK television, achieving a peak audience on the BBC of 5.8 million viewers.
The new Major Sports Events Impact for London Report has revealed that the event itself created a total economic boost of £48.5m, making it one of the biggest women’s sporting events staged in London.
Another of the major highlights for sport in London in 2025 saw the return of women’s tennis to Queens for the first time in over 50 years. The historic HSBC Championships created an economic impact of £6.26m, with the event featuring some of the world’s biggest tennis stars including Londoner Emma Raducanu. Over 60,000 spectators attended the event, while there was a global broadcast audience of 32.4m across more than 150 countries.
During the tournament the Mayor announced a new £500,000 partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Rally Together London, to increase access to tennis to more people across London. The programme is training 250 people from under-represented backgrounds to join the tennis workforce and facilitate sessions for local communities, with a minimum of 50 per cent female. In total, the partnership will introduce at least 5,500 more young people to the sport. [2]
The report shows that the world leading major sports events ecosystem in London played host to 13 major women’s sports events, offering fans a diversity of amazing experiences and bringing new opportunities to Londoners. It demonstrates how the growth of women’s sport is translating into tangible economic and social benefits for all Londoners.
Further highlights from the new Report show that:
- Over 223 million global viewers tuned in to watch women’s sport in London last year, amplifying London’s visibility worldwide
- Nearly £500 million of total cumulative direct economic impact has been created in London from men’s and women’s sporting events featured in the Mayor’s Major Sports Events Impact reports since 2023
- Just under £5 million has been invested in low‑carbon infrastructure around major sporting events in London
- Almost 2,000 women and girls have been engaged through legacy participation programmes linked to major finals
- 5,200 meals were redistributed around major sporting events in the capital, avoiding 2.1 tonnes of food waste
- 89% of Londoners would like London to continue hosting major sports and women’s sporting events in the future, demonstrating overwhelming support from Londoners to bring more of these sporting events to the capital
Women’s sport is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global sports industry. Driven by unprecedented commercial investment, record-breaking broadcast audiences, and surging grassroots participation, revenue and viewership for women's competitions are expanding at a significantly faster rate than in men's sports. The global revenue for women's sport was over £1.8 billion in 2025 (having exceeded £1 billion in 2024) and women's football is predicted to be in the global top five sports by 2030. [3]
Building on the success of women’s sport in the capital, the Mayor has worked with partners and major event organisers to bring even more of the world’s biggest sporting events to London.
Over the coming weeks, London will be play centre stage for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, hosting the final, semi-finals and key group games at Lord’s and the Oval.
Next year, the capital will host a landmark moment in women’s cycling when the first-ever team time trial in the history of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift takes place on the streets of London.
The capital is also set to stage the EuroHockey Championships next year at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre and the Big Stadium Hockey at Twickenham Stoop.
Looking further ahead, the Mayor is working with partners to bring even more of the world biggest events to the capital. London Stadium is bidding to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, while the capital is central to the UK’s bid for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2035, with five London stadiums submitted as part of the bid. [4]
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is the undisputed global capital for women’s sport and this new report shows the significant boost it provides for our economy.
“From England’s thrilling Women's Rugby World Cup win at Twickenham to the historic return of women’s tennis to the Queen’s Club, 2025 was an amazing year for women’s sport in the capital.
“I’m proud that we have built a strong pipeline of women’s sporting events coming to London, including the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, as well as the Tour de France Femmes and EuroHockey Championships next year.
“The events outlined in this report shine a global spotlight on the capital and inspire young Londoners – particularly young girls - to get involved in grassroots sport, as we continue to work together to build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Sally Horrox, World Rugby's Chief of Women's Rugby, said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 showed what is possible when strong partnerships are in place from the outset.
“Working with the Mayor of London allowed us to think beyond the stadium, from the Battersea fan zone to showcasing women’s rugby at the iconic Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
“Together, we delivered an outstanding fan experience and helped to shift perceptions of women’s sport on a global stage. The outstanding economic and social impact delivered reflects Women’s Rugby World Cup’s value and London’s expertise in hosting major sporting events.
“We are grateful for the Mayor’s support, culminating in an historic Rugby World Cup final attended by a record crowd of 81,885.”
Beth Barrett-Wild, tournament director, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, said: “We’ve created a spectacular stage for the very best of women’s cricket this summer, with epic battles set to be fought when the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup reaches London later this month.
“From a tantalising clash between current holders New Zealand and hosts England at The Oval on 27th June, and a mouthwatering double-header featuring South Africa vs. Bangladesh and India vs. Australia at Lord’s on 28th June, to thrilling semi-finals at The Oval and a sold-out final at Lord’s on 5th July, the capital will become a cauldron of unmissable sporting showdowns as the tournament reaches its conclusion.
“And with fans across London and beyond falling in love with the game in record numbers, this is women’s cricket’s moment to not just explode into the mainstream but to firmly stay there.”
Chris Pollard, LTA Managing Director for Commercial and Operations, said: “we were delighted with the return of a women’s tennis event to the Queen’s Club in 2025 for the first time in 50 years as part of the HSBC Championships, bringing world class women’s tennis to more fans across the capital and around the world.
“The HSBC Championships in 2026 is set to be even bigger, delivering significant economic impact to London and showcasing women’s tennis to more people, inspiring the next generation.
“It’s great to be working with the Mayor of London to capitalise on this and open up access to tennis across the city through Rally Together London, growing the tennis workforce across London to give more young people the opportunity to pick up a racket and play.”
Marion Rousse, Director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, said: “London has become one of the world’s leading cities for women’s sport, demonstrating how major events can inspire participation, create opportunities and drive lasting impact. We are proud that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be part of that story.
“Bringing the race to London is an opportunity not only to showcase the very best athletes in our sport, but also to celebrate the continued growth of women’s cycling and inspire the next generation of riders across the UK and beyond.”
Nick Keller, Executive Chair of Think Beyond, said: “The growth of women’s sport represents one of the biggest opportunities in global sport today. This momentum will only continue if rights holders, brands, broadcasters and government work together to build the ecosystem around it.
“What London has demonstrated through this report is that women’s sport can deliver far more than packed stadiums and broadcast audiences. It can drive economic growth, improve health and wellbeing, create opportunities for young people and strengthen communities across the city.”
Simon McCaugherty, Director of the Experience Economy at London & Partners, said: “London has firmly established itself as a leading destination for women’s sport, and it’s fantastic to see the impact these events are having on our city. From the record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham to the return of women’s tennis at Queen’s, London continues to provide a world-class stage for major women's sporting events.
“Our incredible venues and transport network make us uniquely placed to host the very best events and welcome fans from around the world. We’re excited to welcome more major women’s sporting events in the years ahead, including the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final and the Tour de France Femmes. These events not only boost our economy and support local businesses, but inspire the next generation of athletes across the capital.”
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