Key Points
- The women’s British & Irish Lions squad will take part in their first-ever match against France to be played at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff.
- The fixture is set for August 27 at 7:30 PM and will act as a tune-up match for the team before embarking on their tour of New Zealand.
- This match will be the very first appearance for the Lions’ women’s team in a Test match, which means it is a major moment in the history of rugby.
- Following the match at Cardiff, the Lions Women’s tour will kick off on September 4 against the Black Ferns XV to be played at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei.
- The schedule includes the historic first Test against the Black Ferns in Auckland on September 11, a match against the Invitational XV in Hamilton on September 14, the second Test in Wellington on September 18, and the third Test in Christchurch on September 25.
- Jo Yapp (the head coach) and Abi Tierney (CEO of Welsh Rugby Union) both recognize the enormity of this special moment for women’s rugby.
CCardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 14, 2026 — The British & Irish Lions women’s team has officially announced a landmark fixture against France, set to take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff next August. Head coach Jo Yapp’s squad will lock horns with France on August 27 at 7.30 pm in what serves as a crucial pre-tour warm-up encounter ahead of their upcoming expedition to New Zealand. This fixture officially marks the first time that the Lions women’s side will play a Test match, establishing a monumental chapter in the sporting annals of rugby union history.
When and Where Will the British & Irish Lions Women Play Their First Historic Match?
As reported by Steffan Thomas, rugby correspondent of Wales Online, the British & Irish Lions women will play their historic first-ever game against France at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff next August.
Delving into the exact scheduling of this groundbreaking event, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, Jo Yapp’s side will take on France in Cardiff on August 27 at 7.30pm as a warm-up match ahead of their tour of New Zealand.
Emphasizing the magnitude of the occasion, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, this will be the first time the Lions’ women’s side will play a Test match in what is a significant historic milestone.
What Is the Full Itinerary for the Upcoming Tour of New Zealand?
Providing details on the subsequent matches of the itinerary, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, the Tour begins on Saturday 4 September when the Lions Women face a Black Ferns XV at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei, before the historic first Test against the Black Ferns at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Saturday 11 September.
Outlining the middle phase of the tour schedule, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, the Lions will then take on an Invitational XV at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Tuesday 14 September, before the second Test in Wellington on Saturday 18 September.
Concluding the sequence of matches, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, the Series concludes with the third and final Test at One NZ Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday 25 September.
What Are the Reactions from Key Figures Regarding This Milestone?
Sharing her excitement about the fixture, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, Jo Yapp stated that:
“There are moments in sport that only come around once – and this is one of them. For our British & Irish Lions Women’s team to step onto the field for the first time, on home soil and in front of our fans, is going to be incredibly special.”
Elaborating further on the choice of opposition, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, Jo Yapp stated that:
“France are the ideal team for an occasion like this. They bring a relentless defence and a real edge in attack. That’s exactly the challenge that we need before heading to New Zealand. I’d love to see everyone get behind the squad and share this milestone with us. It will be a moment in history.”
Detailing the expectations for the home crowd, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, Yapp’s side will hope to attract a bumper crowd at the home of Welsh rugby before setting off for New Zealand.
Adding institutional backing to the announcement, as reported by Steffan Thomas of Wales Online, Welsh Rugby Union CEO Abi Tierney stated that:
“The establishment of the British & Irish Lions Women’s team is a landmark moment for our game. The excitement and momentum behind women’s rugby has never been greater. To be able to welcome the inaugural Lions Women’s team to Cardiff for their home game at Principality Stadium, is something we are incredibly proud of. It promises to be a hugely important occasion for the players, our stadium and for women’s sport as a whole.”
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Background of the Particular Development
The announcement of the inaugural British & Irish Lions women’s team fixture represents the culmination of years of structural growth, strategic planning, and expanding commercial viability within women’s rugby union. Historically, the British & Irish Lions brand has been exclusively associated with men’s touring teams visiting the Southern Hemisphere rugby powerhouses—New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa—in cycles spanning every four years. However, the rapidly accelerating professionalisation of the women’s game globally, coupled with surging television audiences, record-breaking stadium attendances, and heightened investment from World Rugby and home unions (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), paved the way for feasibility studies exploring a women’s Lions equivalent. The formal decision to establish a women’s team establishes a brand-new pinnacle for female rugby players across the British Isles, offering them a historic pathway to participate in elite cross-hemisphere representative rugby. Selecting Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as the venue for their inaugural match reinforces Wales’ historical status as a passionate rugby stronghold and leverages a world-class arena capable of accommodating a major crowd for a landmark global sports broadcast.
This historic development is expected to generate a profound cultural and commercial ripple effect across women’s rugby stakeholders, particularly impacting aspiring female rugby players, young athletes, and domestic sports fans across the British Isles and France. For the next generation of girls participating in grassroots rugby programmes, the sight of a formal British & Irish Lions women’s team running out at the Principality Stadium provides a concrete, inspirational career objective that was previously unavailable in the sport. Commercially, the fixture against France is anticipated to draw unprecedented media attention, drive ticket sales, and unlock new broadcast partnerships, elevating the financial valuation of women’s international rugby competitions. For the players selected in Jo Yapp’s squad, testing themselves against a formidable French outfit on home soil before embarking on a grueling multi-Test series against the Black Ferns in New Zealand will serve as an intense competitive benchmark, shaping the professional standards, tactical resilience, and high-performance expectations of women’s rugby for decades to come.
