When the Black Ferns and England run out onto the turf at Eden Park for the World Cup final on Saturday night, they will do so in front of a packed house.
A huge spike in ticket sales following the Black Ferns’ semifinal thriller against France has seen the Auckland stadium on the verge of a sellout well in advance of the event, and on track to set a new attendance record for women’s rugby. That record sits at 34,235, which was set on the opening day of the tournament.
A review of remaining space at Eden Park is underway as organisers look to release every last seat for fans, with the current allocation nearly all snapped up.
Just over 22,000 flocked to Eden Park on Saturday night for the semifinals, which saw the Black Ferns cling on to a 25-24 win after fighting back from an early 10-0 deficit and surviving a late penalty scare.
With England also punching their ticket to the final after a stern test from Canada earlier in the day, the Black Ferns win set up the ideal final for fans and organisers alike, with the world’s top ranked team, who are on a 30-test winning streak, taking on the home nation.