Hosts and favourites England were grouped with Australia and the United States while six-times winners New Zealand will face an awkward clash with Ireland after the draw for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup was made on Thursday.
Reflecting huge growth in the women's game, the tournament will feature an expanded format of 16 teams compared to 12 at RWC 2021 in New Zealand, with the "big four" of England, New Zealand, Canada and France seeded first in their pools.
England, who have won 50 of their last 51 matches, the 2021 World Cup final defeat by New Zealand being the aberration, also have Samoa in their group, but will expect to advance comfortably.
New Zealand will give the utmost respect to Ireland, who beat them in the WXV last month and shocked them in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup. Japan and Spain complete the pool.
Canada, runners-up in 2014, will face Scotland, Wales and Fiji, while France, who have finished third seven times but never made a final, take on Italy, South Africa and tournament debutants Brazil.
New Zealand have been the dominant force since the first tournament in 1991, with England (twice) and the United States the only other nations to triumph.
New Zealand have won the last two finals against England, who have been runners-up six times but beat New Zealand twice recently.
The tournament will be held across eight venues from Aug. 22-Sept. 27
The opening game will be at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
Six locations will hold pool matches, including Brighton and Hove, Exeter, Salford, Northampton and York. Exeter and Bristol will stage the quarterfinals with the latter also hosting both semis.
The final at Twickenham, London on Sept. 27 is expected to be an 82,000 sellout, which would be the biggest crowd ever to watch a women's international.