Women’s Rugby World Cup: England in Brighton – gay-friendly city and host to Japan’s ‘miracle’

Matches in Salford on the opening weekend of the World Cup coincided with Manchester’s Pride weekend and now Brighton will host long-term rugby fans and those new to the sport.

Conversations around being gay have become normalised in most westernised cultures and it is being seen and heard across Rugby World Cup 2025.

England players Meg Jones and Hannah Botterman have been joking, accepting and challenging the stereotypes associated with the sport on their podcast “Barely Rugby” on BBC Sounds.

In the England team, there are players who have always been comfortable being open about their relationships. Flanker Marlie Packer and lock Rosie Galligan got engaged earlier this year,, external while props Sarah Bern and Mackenzie Carson are partners who have frequently shared the ups and downs of playing alongside and against each other.

Another emerging social media theme, external of the tournament has been for influencers and journalists to count the number of openly gay players on each team. Most of the posts are well thought through and have come through checks with the individuals involved that they are happy for their sexuality to be discussed.

The highlight of this trend has been USA team captain Kate Zackary and team-mate Charli Jacoby joking that they demanded a “recount”, external of their side’s tally of gay players because “we belong on a podium”.

Teasdale says this is a new theme of the tournament, adding: “It is really interesting, the changing openness, particularly from a gay women point of view within rugby.

“I think if you went back definitely 10 years, but maybe even five years, I don’t think that would have happened.”

While Britain provides a relatively safe space for the gay community, there is also no shying away from the fact that in some cultures, religions and countries, homosexuality is considered to be unacceptable, or illegal.

This is an area that Teasdale hopes the RFU remains “respectful” about, but also thinks “others do look to us to see how some of this type of work can be done”.

“I do hope that some of the work that we do just helps to open eyes and open hearts, and makes sure that people’s attitudes are changing and people have been supported, as supportive as they can be,” she added.