International Cricket Council (ICC) has declared that the prize money of the 2025 Women Cricket World Cup will be historic. The tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, between September 30 and November 2, and now has a combined prize fund of 13.88 million dollars, a staggering increase of 297 percent on the 3.5 million dollars that was being offered last year. This new financial dedication even goes beyond the 10 million which has been set aside to fund the 2023 Men World Cup.
What is the Prize money of the Champion Team of ICC Women’s World Cup?
With a record prize of 4.48 million, the champion team will more than double both the 1.32 million paid in 2022 and the 4 million paid to the 2023 men champions. Nor are those champions only cashing in. The losers will win 2.24 million, a 273 per cent more than the last, and those who lose in a semi final will win 1.12 million apiece, compared with 300,000. Not even the teams that fail to reach the knockout stage will walk away without a prize. Each involved team will receive $250,000 and teams that finish at position five and six will get as much as 700,000 each. The seventh and eighth placed teams shall be paid an apiece of $280,000. Group stage wins will also generate a win of $34,314.
What did ICC Chairperson Jay Shah say?
ICC Chairperson Jay Shah highlighted the announcement as a landmark. This four times increase in the prize money is a historic step towards women cricketing, he said, but he added, women cricketers should also know that they will be the same as men when they make this sport their profession. It is one of several steps to take the game to the next level and solidify gender parity promises, which started with the equalization of prizes in the Women T20 World Cup 2024. To conclude, this record increase in prize funds not only establishes a new standard of gender equality in cricket, but also indicates an even greater goal of the ICC to stimulate the development and popularity of women cricket in all parts of the world.
As a co host with India and Sri Lanka, the tournament will also showcase how South Asia is gaining prominence in women’s cricket. Analysts are forecasting record attendance figures as more competitive motivation and increased interest in the women game drives the record attendance. Evidently, this historic pay increase entrenches female cricket in the mainstream.
