USA Women vs. England Women: WXV 2026 Kickoff, Venue and Confirmed Lineups

USA Women host England Women on Friday, October 30, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. in Harrison, New Jersey, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−04:00). That is 21:15 UTC and 9:15 p.m. in the United Kingdom, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00). The WXV Global Series match takes place at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Both teams have named their matchday 23-player squads, but the result will not be known until the game is played.

The matchup puts the unbeaten Women’s Eagles against the defending world champions, the Red Roses, who are trying to respond to consecutive defeats against Canada. It is one of the standout fixtures of the closing weekend of the 2026 WXV Global Series.

USA Women vs. England Women: date, kickoff and venue

The kickoff and stadium are listed in World Rugby’s official USA vs. England match center and confirmed independently in USA Rugby’s doubleheader announcement. New Jersey is still on daylight saving time on October 30; the change to Eastern Standard Time occurs later, on November 1. The United Kingdom has already returned to GMT by match day, so the local and UK clock times differ by four hours.

Sports Illustrated Stadium will also stage a USA Men vs. Australia XV game later that evening, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00), or 00:00 UTC on Saturday, October 31. The men’s fixture is a separate match; its kickoff should not be confused with the women’s 5:15 p.m. start.

Confirmed USA Women team to face England

World Rugby’s October 29 official squad announcement lists two changes to the U.S. starting 15. Hope Rogers returns at loosehead prop, while Abigail Paton comes in at scrum-half to partner fly-half Nina Mason. Co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding starts in the back row, with Erica Jarrell-Searcy among the replacements.

USA starting 15

Backs (15–9): 15 Ashley Cowdrey; 14 Bulou Mataitoga; 13 Emily Henrich; 12 Bella Vogel; 11 Alev Kelter; 10 Nina Mason; 9 Abigail Paton.

Forwards (1–8): 1 Hope Rogers; 2 Kathryn Treder; 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu-Senele; 4 Hallie Taufoou; 5 Rachel Ehrecke; 6 Hann Humphreys; 7 Georgie Perris-Redding (co-captain); 8 Freda Tafuna.

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos; 17 Lauryn Carlton; 18 Mona Tupou; 19 Erica Jarrell-Searcy (co-captain); 20 Kapoina Bailey; 21 Kate Zackary; 22 Cass Bargell; 23 Tessa Hann.

That selection preserves the forward unit that has been central to the Eagles’ recent success. Rogers supplies experience at the scrum, Tafuna offers a powerful carrying option from No. 8, and Perris-Redding provides continuity at the breakdown and in close-range attack. For the backs, the Paton–Mason partnership will have to manage field position and make possession count against a more experienced England side.

Confirmed England Women team to face the USA

England head coach John Mitchell makes six changes to the starting side. Flo Robinson earns her first England start at scrum-half alongside Holly Aitchison at fly-half. Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and Tatyana Heard return to the backline, with Mackenzie Carson and Maud Muir starting in the front row. Meg Jones captains the Red Roses; Ellie Kildunne and Zoe Harrison are listed among the substitutes.

England starting 15

Backs (15–9): 15 Emma Sing; 14 Mia Venner; 13 Meg Jones (captain); 12 Tatyana Heard; 11 Claudia Moloney-MacDonald; 10 Holly Aitchison; 9 Flo Robinson.

Forwards (1–8): 1 Mackenzie Carson; 2 Amy Cokayne; 3 Maud Muir; 4 Morwenna Talling; 5 Lilli Ives Campion; 6 Abi Burton; 7 Sadia Kabeya; 8 Maddie Feaunati.

Replacements: 16 Bryony Field; 17 Hannah Botterman; 18 Sarah Bern; 19 Demelza Short; 20 Alex Matthews; 21 Natasha Hunt; 22 Zoe Harrison; 23 Ellie Kildunne.

Robinson’s inclusion changes the England half-back combination, while Aitchison’s selection provides a different option for controlling territory and directing play. The availability of Harrison and Kildunne from the bench gives England established attacking alternatives if the match is close in the final quarter.

Why this WXV Global Series match matters

The United States arrives in strong form. In Nashville on October 24, the Eagles beat Italy 54–24, with Tafuna scoring three tries as the U.S. pack accounted for all eight American tries. World Rugby reported that the victory extended the team’s winning run to five matches, its first such streak in 20 years. See World Rugby’s October 24 results report for the confirmed score and match account.

England, by contrast, has lost twice in succession to Canada. Those defeats carry additional weight because the Red Roses entered the series as world champions and the top-ranked women’s team. A result in New Jersey would offer a measure of how the revised starting combinations are responding, although one match alone cannot determine either team’s longer-term direction.

Recent meetings give England the historical advantage. At the Women’s Rugby World Cup on August 22, 2025, England defeated the USA 69–7; at WXV in September 2024, England won 61–21. Those scores underline the size of the challenge, but they do not predict what will happen in Harrison. The Eagles’ recent performances and home advantage make this a meaningful test rather than a routine replay of earlier results.

Three matchups that could decide the contest

1. USA forward momentum against England’s set piece

The Eagles have generated tries from sustained pressure near the line, particularly through their forwards. To reproduce that approach, they need clean possession at the scrum and lineout, then enough patience to build multiple phases. England’s reshaped front row will try to prevent that pressure from becoming easy attacking territory.

2. Control from the two half-back pairings

Paton and Mason must balance kicking for territory with giving the U.S. midfield opportunities to attack. England’s Robinson and Aitchison face a different challenge: establishing a rhythm quickly despite the changed combination. Turnovers or inaccurate kicking in either half could expose the defense to counterattacks.

3. The impact of the replacements

The final 20 minutes may be significant if the USA can stay within reach. England can introduce experienced players including Kildunne, Harrison and Sarah Bern; the Eagles can turn to Jarrell-Searcy and Kate Zackary. Their impact will depend on the score, field position and available substitutions, not simply the names on the bench.

How to watch and follow the result

In the United States, USA Rugby says the Harrison doubleheader will stream on Paramount+. World Rugby’s official WXV viewing guide lists Paramount+ for selected WXV Global Series matches in the U.S., BBC iPlayer for England matches in the UK, and RugbyPassTV where there is no designated local rights holder. Access depends on the viewer’s country, subscription and the broadcaster’s match listing, so check the appropriate service before kickoff.

For live scoring, team-sheet changes and the final confirmed score, use the official World Rugby match center. Its match timeline and statistics are the appropriate references once play begins. This article is a preview prepared before kickoff on October 30, 2026; no result or post-match statistics are asserted here.

Going to Sports Illustrated Stadium?

The venue is at 600 Cape May Street, Harrison, NJ 07029. The Harrison PATH station is within walking distance of the stadium, making rail an option for visitors arriving from the New York–New Jersey area. Fans planning to attend should check their tickets, stadium entry arrangements, transit advisories and parking availability before traveling; the stadium matchday information from Gotham FC provides general directions, but event-specific instructions may differ for rugby.

Bottom line: USA Women vs. England Women starts at 5:15 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 30, in Harrison (21:15 UTC). Both official matchday squads are available, the Eagles enter unbeaten in the series, and England is seeking a response after its losses to Canada. The final score should be taken from World Rugby after the match, not inferred before kickoff.