Keel Crossing Temporarily Opens for Women’s Rugby World Cup Kickoff Match
We are delighted to see the temporary opening of Keel Crossing in Sunderland today as the Stadium of Light hosts the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
A red and white smoke plume was fired into the air to officially signal the opening of the crossing earlier today. The crossing will enable fans to easily make their way to and from the Stadium of Light for this evening’s event, which will see England take on the USA marking the start of the international tournament. Around 43,000 fans are expected to attend the game.
The bridge will be closed at the end of the day to allow the final phase of works to be completed, before it is officially opened for day-to-day use.
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “What a moment, to see the Keel Crossing in use for the first time on such a special day for the city, as we play host to an internationally significant sporting event in Sunderland.
TV architect George Clarke was in the city to make the crossing from the north of the river to the transformed former Vaux site.
“Wow. As someone from the city, it was an incredible honour to be among the first to walk over the Keel Crossing and to see the transforming cityscape from a totally new vantage point. This is such an iconic new landmark, and I can’t wait to see the final improvements complete and to be able to see this used week after week by Sunderland AFC’s incredible fan base.”
George Clarke TV architect
The Keel Crossing sits at the heart of Riverside Sunderland, one of the UK's most ambitious urban regeneration projects, and is 10 metres wide and spans 250 meters, at a height of 30 metres above the river.
Rebecca Leach, 2025 director of women’s rugby, said: “It’s wonderful to see that all the stops have been pulled out to open this bridge for the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. This is a tremendous stadium and city from which to host such a prestigious match, showcasing Sunderland on a global stage.”
Will Davies, Project Manager, at VolkerStevin, said: “We’re really proud to be supporting Sunderland City Council in the delivery of this key piece of infrastructure, connecting the north and south sides of the River Wear.
The team has been committed to facilitating today’s temporary opening and we’re excited to see it being used for such a prestigious event”.
The bridge will connect Sheepfolds and the northern communities with the city centre, opening up new connections that will enable people to move more freely and access the new housing, high-quality employment space, and the fantastic new leisure facilities being delivered across Riverside Sunderland.