Lions to make history with France game in Cardiff
The British and Irish Lions will play the first women’s fixture in the team’s history against France at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 27 August 2027. The match opens their tour to New Zealand and gives supporters a chance to see the newly formed side play at home before it faces the Black Ferns.
France are ranked fourth in the world, reached the 2025 World Cup semi-finals and have finished second to England in the past seven Six Nations championships. The Lions’ five-match tour also includes a match against a Black Ferns XV in Whangarei, three Tests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and a fixture against an invitational team in Hamilton. A record 21,186 people attended a Wales women’s home game at the Cardiff stadium in 2025.
- The Lions women will make their debut against France in Cardiff.
- The match is on 27 August 2027, ahead of the New Zealand tour.
- A record 21,186 attended a Wales women’s home game there in 2025.
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The British and Irish Lions bring together leading rugby union players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales for tours that traditionally feature the men’s team. The women’s side is newly formed, and its tour will include three Test matches against New Zealand’s national team, the Black Ferns.
France are among the leading teams in women’s rugby. They reached the semi-finals of the 2025 World Cup and have finished runners-up to England in each of the past seven Six Nations championships. The opening match in Cardiff gives the Lions a chance to play before a home crowd ahead of the New Zealand tour.