ICC Unveils Historic Prize Pool for Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set a groundbreaking financial milestone for the forthcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup, scheduled to kick off on September 30, 2025, in India and Sri Lanka. The total prize pool has been raised to an unprecedented USD 13.88 million, a staggering increase from the USD 3.5 million awarded in the 2022 edition held in New Zealand.
Prize Money Breakdown
This year’s prize money not only eclipses previous figures but also outstrips that of the men’s tournament, which had a prize pool of USD 10 million in 2023. The allocation of this sizable sum is as follows:
- Winners: USD 4.48 million
- Runners-up: USD 2.24 million
- Losing semifinalists: USD 1.12 million each
- Group-stage participants: USD 250,000 guaranteed
- Per group-stage win: USD 34,414
Boosting Women’s Cricket
The ICC’s decision is aligned with its broader ambition to enhance the visibility and viability of women’s cricket on the global stage. This initiative follows the recent implementation of pay parity in advance of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Reactions from the Sport’s Icons
Jhulan Goswami, the esteemed Indian women’s pace bowler, expressed her enthusiasm for the announcement during her feature on The ICC Review. She stated, “I am getting goosebumps. [The increased prize money] is a very good thing. I would like to thank ICC from my side. The way they have thought of this, I think definitely women’s cricket will get a lot of boost in this. And for [budding women’s cricketers’] parents, too. It is a reassurance that this sport can be played professionally and taken forward. So, I think this is great news for women’s cricket and I think this will definitely motivate all the players as well.”
The Road Ahead
The tournament promises to be a landmark event, beginning with a much-anticipated match between India and Sri Lanka at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. With the substantial increase in prize money, the ICC aims to motivate not only the participating teams but also aspiring young cricketers worldwide.
