England World Cup captain Zoe Stratford gives birth to baby girl
England's World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford has given birth to her first child, a baby girl.
The news was confirmed on 1 October 2026, just over a year after Stratford lifted the World Cup with England. The baby is her first child with her husband Luke, according to BBC.
Stratford, 29, played under her maiden name of Zoe Aldcroft before her marriage. She led England to a 2025 World Cup final win over Canada in September last year, the crowning moment of a career that had already seen her named World Player of the Year in 2021.
At club level, she co-captained Gloucester-Hartpury to three consecutive Premiership Women's Rugby titles. That is England's top domestic league. She has since joined Sale Sharks from Gloucester-Hartpury.
Stratford announced her pregnancy in March with a simple message on Instagram: "we're having a baby!" She was due to give birth in September, ESPN reported at the time. She was the third England player that year to announce a pregnancy, after Lark Atkin-Davies and Abbie Ward.
Meg Jones took over as England captain after Stratford's announcement. Motherhood has become a bigger part of the Red Roses story in recent seasons. Ward gave birth in July 2023 and returned to international rugby, while team-mates Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan announced in April that they are expecting a baby together.
Jones has also called for England players to have access to fertility support and egg freezing.
What makes this stand out is how familiar this path is becoming. A World Cup captain, a new arrival, and a squad that keeps finding ways to welcome mums back into the Test arena.
