The opening game of the women's Rugby League World Cup was watched by a record crowd for a standalone game of women's rugby league in the northern hemisphere, with 8,621 people in attendance. Organisers, however, fell well short of their target to make the double-header at Headingley Stadium the biggest-ever attended women's rugby match in either code.
Tournament organisers had spoken all summer about how their goal was to surpass the current rugby record of 15,862 which was set for England's rugby union Six Nations clash with Ireland in Leicester earlier this year. Tournament revenue director Mick Hogan said: "It's our intention to go higher than that at Headingley."
They fell well short of that total, with just under 9,000 flocking to Headingley on a Tuesday afternoon to watch the hosts beat Brazil 72-4. That is almost double the previous record figure for a women's rugby league game in the United Kingdom, beating the previous best by several thousand and giving the women's game another moment to celebrate.
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But organisers revealed that they had sold and issued 11,000 tickets for the match, but refused to count sales of those who ultimately chose not to attend.
A World Cup spokesperson said: “Today’s double header at Headingley attracted a record crowd for a standalone women’s rugby league event taking place in the Northern Hemisphere, more than doubling any previous record. The atmosphere was fantastic with many people, young and old, experiencing their first ever rugby league game live, ensuring this is truly transformative moment for the sport.
“We would have liked the total attendance to have been higher, especially with over 11,000 tickets sold and issued, but we cannot account for those who buy a ticket and do not attend”.
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