7 Oct 2022

Rugby World Cup opening day at Eden Park officially sold out

3:39 pm on 7 October 2022

The Black Ferns will play their first match of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in front of a sellout crowd at Eden Park.

Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) Captains - Scotland, Rachel Malcolm - Japan, Saki Minami - Australia, Shannon Perry - Wales, Siwan Lillicrap - France, Gaelle Hermet - England Sarah Hunter - New Zealand, Kennedy Simon - Fiji, Sereima Leweniqila - South Africa, Nolusindiso Booi - USA, Kate Zackary - Canada, Sophie de Goede - Italy, Elisa Giordano.

Women's Rugby World Cup 2021 (played in 2022) Captains - Scotland, Rachel Malcolm - Japan, Saki Minami - Australia, Shannon Perry - Wales, Siwan Lillicrap - France, Gaelle Hermet - England Sarah Hunter - New Zealand, Kennedy Simon - Fiji, Sereima Leweniqila - South Africa, Nolusindiso Booi - USA, Kate Zackary - Canada, Sophie de Goede - Italy, Elisa Giordano. Photo: Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz

On Friday, organisers confirmed there were no tickets left for Saturday's opening match day in Auckland.

It would be the first time Eden Park, which had a capacity of 47,000, was sold out for a standalone women's sports event.

The crowd would also more than double the largest ever attendance for a standalone women's sports event in New Zealand, and set a new mark for the most attended match day in women's Rugby World Cup history.

Tournament director Michelle Hooper said the sell-out sent a strong message to the world that women's rugby was due its rightful place in the spotlight.

"Creating history for women's sport and setting new records for women's rugby, will undoubtedly elevate the women's game to new heights for generations to come.

"We'd like to express our gratitude to fans and to the global rugby whānau for sharing our belief.

"This has been our shared vision from the outset and to see it come to light speaks volumes about the wave of change globally, celebrating wāhine toa and shining the spotlight on them.

"New Zealand is now officially on the record for smashing gender stereotypes and creating historical change. On behalf of all our team we acknowledge the trailblazers that couldn't experience this moment and we honour them with this success."

Opening day - which featured France against South Africa, England against Japan and New Zealand playing Australia - was the World Cup's second match day to sell-out.

Next Sunday's three matches at Waitakere Stadium, including the Black Ferns second pool match against Wales, were already at capacity.

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said the sold out crowds showed excitement levels were rising as fans across New Zealand and around the world engaged with the tournament.

"Women in sport and women's rugby has a real buzz and momentum behind it right now.

"The development of women in rugby is the single greatest opportunity for our sport to grow in the next decade, as we plan to accelerate the phenomenal rise of women in rugby on a global basis."