England’s Red Roses national women's team have struck a new pay deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) governing body, which includes a “substantial uplift in player salaries, match fees, and commercial opportunities.”
The RFU has confirmed a new four-year contract framework developed collaboratively with the Red Roses and their exclusive commercial representatives, Team England Rugby (TER), covering the 2026–2030 Rugby World Cup cycle.
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The framework was agreed following a “close and constructive dialogue” between the RFU, players, and TER over the past year.
The new agreement will have benefits for the Red Roses on and off the field, through enhanced player support, increased earning potential, and continued pathway investment.
The package includes the introduction of a Rugby World Cup selection bonus and a formal mid-cycle review of new contracts after two years to ensure figures rise “if the commercial performance of the women’s game materially exceeds expectations.”
The Red Roses' top players stand to earn £100,000 in 2029 should they successfully defend their Women's Rugby World Cup title in Australia.
Overall, it is understood that the players have negotiated a 25% increase over their previous terms, which will expire at the end of June.
In addition to lifting the World Cup in front of a sell-out 81,885 crowd in September, England have won eight successive Six Nations titles and are on a run of 38 successive test victories.
England's players picked up a bonus of £20,000 each for winning the Women's Rugby World Cup in September, with their top stars on a basic of about £50,000 a year at the time.
While the new deal is a substantial raise, they still earn less than their soccer and cricketing counterparts.
The new deals will be sorted into three different bands, with the most senior and marquee players earning the most. The length of contracts will also vary, with some offered for a single year and others centrally contracted for up to three years.
There is a guaranteed minimum of 32 contracted Red Roses, with the announcement of which players have secured a deal to be made in the next fortnight. There will also continue to be transitional contracts for emerging prospects.
The new agreement forms part of the RFU’s broader investment in the women’s game, which included £24 million in Premiership Women’s Rugby over 10 years, claimed to be the largest union investment in a domestic women’s competition worldwide.
Bill Sweeney, RFU CEO, said: “This agreement represents another major step forward for the women’s game in England. We are making a deliberate, long-term investment in building the strongest and most sustainable environment for our players to succeed.
“The Red Roses set the standard globally, not just through their performances, but through the role they play in inspiring the next generation. This framework reflects both our ambition to remain number one in the world and our responsibility to grow the game for the future.”
The agreement is the first Red Roses deal to be struck by the international players' body, TER, with previous negotiations being carried out by the Rugby Players Association, a wider union.
Meanwhile, soft drinks giant Coca-Cola has followed up it deal to sponsor the 2027 men’s Rugby World Cup with a new long-term partnership with Rugby Australia (RA).
Under a four-year contract, the brand becomes the official soft drink, hydration, and energy drink partner for the Wallabies (men’s), Wallaroos (women’s), and Australian Sevens teams.
Coca-Cola products will be present in several areas from the field to the coaches' box during rugby internationals in Australia until at least the end of 2029.
The major brand was yesterday unveiled as the exclusive non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage partner for next year’s men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, securing pouring rights across all tournament food and beverage outlets.
