New broadcast deal positions Premiership Women’s Rugby at the heart of the BBC’s women’s sport coverage
Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) is set for a major boost in visibility ahead of this summer’s Rugby World Cup, after the BBC confirmed it will stream a live match every week of the next two seasons across iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
The agreement, announced on July 21, ensures consistent national exposure for the domestic women’s competition at a time when interest in the sport is expected to reach record highs. In addition to weekly matches, the broadcaster will show one semi-final and the PWR final each season, adding to its growing portfolio of women’s sport rights.
“The Rugby World Cup later this year will be a breakthrough moment in our sport, but the story won’t end there” says Genevieve Shore, Executive Chair of Premiership Women’s Rugby.
“The world’s best players play their rugby every week in the PWR, and I am excited to say that now they’ll also be shown every week on the BBC.”
The BBC’s new commitment comes as it prepares to host exclusive coverage of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which kicks off in Sunderland on August 22 and culminates at Twickenham in late September. Domestic coverage of the PWR is now positioned to act as a bridge between the elite international spectacle and the grassroots game, helping to build long-term audiences beyond the tournament.
“This deal is another big step in BBC Sport’s commitment to women’s sport,” added Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport. “Premiership Women’s Rugby is fast, physical and full of elite talent, and we’re proud to bring that to audiences across the UK.”
The partnership also marks a shift in how domestic women’s rugby is packaged and presented to mainstream audiences. With regular fixtures across digital platforms, PWR will be more accessible than ever.
The new rights deal joins a packed BBC summer schedule that includes UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, Wimbledon, The Hundred, the World Athletics Championships, and highlights from the international women’s cricket calendar.
League origins and growth
Premiership Women’s Rugby launched in 2017–18 as the Premier 15s, before rebranding in 2023–24 as part of a new commercial strategy led by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and a newly appointed board.
The competition now features nine teams, including leading clubs such as Saracens Women, Bristol Bears, Loughborough Lightning and Gloucester-Hartpury – who have won the last three league titles, including a dominant 36–24 victory over Saracens in the 2025 final.
Last season marked a tipping point for the league in terms of visibility. A clash between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium drew a crowd of 18,055; the highest ever attendance for a women’s club rugby match globally.
Another fixture between Harlequins and Gloucester-Hartpury attracted 16,237, a record for a round-robin domestic fixture.
These figures reflect a wider upward trend in interest. Data from the Women’s Sport Trust shows that UK viewers watched over 54 million hours of free-to-air women’s sport in the first five months of 2024 alone, with rugby union accounting for a growing share of that total.
Sponsor and broadcast momentum
Commercial support for the league is also accelerating. Allianz remains a title sponsor following its previous backing of the Premier 15s, while consumer brands such as Clinique have entered the space to align with rising female sporting role models.
At club level, Saracens Women are backed by StoneX and Castore, reflecting the increasing crossover between elite men’s and women’s rugby operations.
The new BBC deal also complements existing coverage by TNT Sports, which has televised select matches since the 2023–24 season. But this marks the first time that PWR matches will be broadcast weekly, on free digital platforms with national reach.
