Bengaluru, Sep 26 (UNI) The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 will feature a record prize pool of USD 13.88 million, the largest ever for a women’s cricket event and higher than the USD 10 million purse of the men’s World Cup 2023, marking a historic step in the evolution of the women’s game. The champions will take home USD 4.48 million, while the runners-up stand to earn USD 2.24 million.
The announcement coincided with the Captains’ Day event held simultaneously in Bengaluru and Colombo here today, where skippers of all eight participating nations voiced confidence and excitement with just four days to go for the tournament opener.
The World Cup begins on September 30, when hosts India take on Sri Lanka in Guwahati. Defending champions Australia start their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 in Indore.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the honour of leading the host nation was unmatched and promised her side would rise to the expectations of home fans. “A home World Cup is always special. Packed stadiums are something we really enjoy, and we want to give our best,” she remarked.
Australia’s Alyssa Healy admitted her side faces the toughest challenge yet. “Defending a title is never easy. Every team here is strong, and this will be the toughest World Cup we have ever been a part of,” she said.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt praised the passion of Indian supporters, saying, “The number of people who come to games in India brings another level to the sport. It is exciting for our young players to experience this environment.”
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine underlined belief as a key factor in her team’s campaign, while Pakistan captain Fatima Sana said playing all matches in Colombo would give her side an edge. Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana stressed that her team was ready to translate experience into results, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt noted the unpredictability of the tournament, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu counted on home support to spur her team.
The World Cup will be staged from September 30 to November 2 across five venues – Guwahati, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Colombo.
This is the first 50-over Women’s World Cup in the sub-continent since 2013 and the first women’s ICC global event in the region since the 2016 T20 World Cup.
Adding another milestone, the tournament will be officiated entirely by an all-female panel of umpires and match referees, extending a trend set by the ICC in recent women’s global events.
The record prize pool, the historic appointments, and the growing fan base underline the transformative stage women’s cricket has entered, with the 2025 edition expected to be the most competitive and widely followed Women’s World Cup yet.
