How brands should approach the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup

Kicking off in August 2025, the Women’s Rugby World Cup in the UK represents more than just another entry in an increasingly packed sporting calendar - it’s a significant cultural moment. 

Not only does it mark a tipping point for the visibility and commercial viability of women’s sport - 8.1 million viewers watched the Women’s Six Nations last year - but it also offers a unique, time-bound opportunity for brands to craft lasting emotional connections with a highly engaged, and rapidly evolving fanbase.

Brands that launch campaigns with the most impactful creative and data-backed strategy around the event will tap into this growing audience and leave a mark that lasts. 

Changing attitudes means changing opportunities 

At its core, the convergence of multiple forces: a shifting audience demographic, rising expectations for brand authenticity, and the evolving audience attitudes towards engaging with sports content in general, are a call to action for how broadcasters shape their product. 

There’s a reason why more major brands are backing women’s sport — the numbers are telling a new story. Fans of women’s rugby are younger, more diverse, and more likely to engage across digital platforms than traditional sports audiences. Crucially, they’re also more value-driven, placing a premium on inclusion, representation, and authenticity.

For advertisers, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Standardised campaigns won’t cut it. Today’s audiences expect brands to reflect their values and enhance their viewing experience - not interrupt it. And in an increasingly crowded media landscape, relevance is everything.

Throw out the men’s playbook

Advertisers need to resist the urge to treat this World Cup like the men’s equivalent and instead be bolder and more innovative. An entirely new demographic is engaging in sports and this means new approaches are required to win trust - both in terms of creative strategy and ad delivery. 

The most impactful campaigns will likely look beyond the match day itself. The lead-up to the tournament is just as critical a window, offering months of narrative-building, teaser content, and audience education - especially as many fans are still building familiarity with the players, teams, and format.

Live sports - across every tier, from the Super Bowl to the Six Nations - have become a major programmatic opportunity. Tapping into nearly all live sports inventory, offering advertisers access to major professional leagues and streamers alike, is a must. And with programmatic CTV on the rise, women’s sport offers a front-row seat to the future of streaming-first fandom.

TV and beyond 

When we think of sports advertising we might immediately think of prime time ad spots at halftime during the Super Bowl or banners that surround the football pitch at Premier League events, but in 2025 the dynamics are changing both off and on the screen. 

On the screen we are increasingly seeing live sports move to streaming platforms like DAZN, discovery+, and Netflix, which gives a great opportunity for advertisers to be more targeted with their approach within CTV. New TV technology can identify different audiences within the viewership of a particular show and show them the right half-time ads that will resonate most. According to eMarketer, 70% of live sports viewers are expected to watch games digitally this year - representing 114 million engaged sports fans.

Beyond the media planning process, however, we still require best-in-class creative to truly resonate with audiences. Off-screen is also important for creating a well-rounded and memorable campaign. We know that a combined approach to advertising, investing in multiple channels like CTV and electronic billboards at the same time, gives greater weight to all ads in the mix. Yet perhaps one of the most powerful new tools in the arsenal is also the fastest developing, AI.

AI-driven ads

We’re entering an era where AI is no longer just a behind-the-scenes tool; it’s a co-pilot in the creative process. But here’s the thing, AI doesn’t replace human creativity - it unlocks it.

When it comes to optimising sport-specific content, AI tools can analyse real-time fan behaviours, segment audiences based on interaction patterns, and deliver dynamically tailored creative across channels, ensuring that the right fan sees the right message at the right moment. Advertisers can combine AI-driven targeting with adaptive campaign delivery through modern adtech solutions. For example, if a breakout player starts trending during the tournament, brands can deploy new messaging within hours - not days - thanks to real-time audience analytics and dynamic creative optimisation.

But transparency is crucial. Fans are savvy - and they know when content feels automated or soulless. Our survey with Publicis last year found that AI disclosures boosted overall trust in a company by 97%. The winning campaigns in 2025 will be those that use AI to empower storytellers, not to replace them. Brands should look to blend machine-optimised precision with human-driven narrative to create messaging that feels personal and real.

By combining first-party insights, live campaign analytics, and contextual triggers, brands can adapt their messaging to reflect both performance and pulse. For example, if a team surges unexpectedly into the knockout stages, adaptive creative can reflect that momentum in real-time. Or, if social listening tools pick up an emerging viral moment (a dramatic try, a breakout player, a viral chant), brands can react within hours, not days, with relevant content.

2025: The year of bold moves

We’re on the cusp of a new era for sports marketing - where AI, data, and creativity collide to create smarter, braver, more resonant campaigns. And there may be no better test case than the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

For brands willing to innovate, listen, and lead with purpose, 2025 offers more than reach. It offers relevance, and that’s where the real wins are made.

Alice Beecroft is senior director of global strategy & partnerships at Yahoo