Shorts: Rugby World Cup, Watford, FA
Sunderland FC’s Stadium of Light is set to host the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, with Twickenham being named as the host the final.
The new 16 team tournament will be kicked off by the world number one team, the Red Roses, on Friday 22nd August 2025 at Sunderland’s 48,707 capacity stadium.
The final at Twickenham on Saturday 27th September 2025 look set to break a new attendance record.
Sir Bill Beaumont, Chairman of World Rugby, said, “Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 will be a generational moment for rugby. The biggest, most accessible and most widely-viewed, its unstoppable momentum will reach, engage and inspire new audiences in ways that rugby events have not done before.”
“The selection of Sunderland for the opening match underscores that mission. We want this to be a sports event that everyone is talking about, that everyone wants to be a part of and one that inspires young people to be a part of.”
EFL Championship football club Watford has appointed a new Sporting Director.
The appointment follows Cristiano Giaretta leaving the position ‘to pursue a new opportunity.’
Giaretta will be replaced by the Hornets former Technical Director Gian Luca Nani.
Cristiano Giaretta, former Sporting Director at Watford FC, said, “Thanks also to Valérien Ismaël, all the players and staff and all the people at the training ground with whom joys and sorrows have been shared over recent years; they are an amazing group.”
I hope the supporters can see their colours in the Premier League again. I wish them the best. Never give up, that’s for sure!”
The Football Association has named Digital Media Executive James Gray as its new Commercial Director.
Gray will replace Navin Singh who will take up a role with Six Nations Rugby.
Matchroom Boxing, headed by Eddie Hearn, and Churchill Boxing club has announced a commercial partnership.
The partnership with the Los Angeles-based gym allows the British-based promotional company to expand its presence across the pond to the United States, giving its pool of boxers a new home to train out of.
Eddie Hearn, Group Chairman of Matchroom Boxing, said, “Our business continues to expand globally and we wanted to do something different. It was important for us to provide a stateside facility for our stable and our talent that we felt was trusted and elite.
“Peter Berg has just as much passion for boxing as anyone I’ve met … He loves to see the top fighters in here and have the gym flourish, and now the very best fighters in the world will be in here. It’s an opportunity for our international fighters to have a home in America. It’s important to offer that to our fighters.”
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