Women’s showpiece 50-over event gets a major cash injection from ICC with the A$21m prize pool now outstripping the last men’s event
Australia could claim a major windfall if they manage to defend their title at the upcoming ODI World Cup, after the ICC quadrupled the event’s prize pool compared to the 2022 tournament.
The ICC announced on Monday the overall pot would be increased to US$13.88 million (A$21 million) for the eight-team event in India and Sri Lanka, far eclipsing the US$3.5m (A$5.3m) on offer when Australia lifted the trophy in New Zealand in 2022.
It is also an increase on the most recent men’s 50-over World Cup, which had a prize pool of $US10m ($A15m).
The winners of the tournament final in Mumbai on November 2 will receive US$4.48m (A$6.9m), more than double the US$1.32m (A$1.5m) Meg Lanning’s Australians took home in 2022.
The runners-up will walk away with US$2.4m (A$3.4m), while the losing semi-finalists take home US$1.12m (A$1.7m) each.
Each group stage participant is guaranteed to earn US$250k (A$382k) while each group-stage win will get the victors US$34,314 (A$52,494).
The teams finishing fifth and sixth will take home US$700k (A$1.07m) each and those in seventh and eighth place will earn US$280k (A$428k).
“This four-fold increase in prize money is a landmark moment for women’s cricket and reflects our clear commitment to its long-term growth,” International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah said on Monday.
The World Cup starts on September 30 when co-hosts India and Sri Lanka meet in Guwahati.
The prize money announcement follows a period of uncertainty for the tournament, with organisers forced to move the final, a semi-final and a host of group stage matches last month when they failed to obtain police clearances to host matches at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Guwahati’s ACA Stadium will now host the September 30 opener between India and Sri Lanka, while DY Patil Stadium will host a semi-final on October 29 and the final on November 2 – provided Pakistan doesn’t qualify, which would then see the tournament decider played in Colombo.
Alyssa Healy’s team will launch their title defence against New Zealand at Indore’s Holkar Stadium on October 1.
Australia’s squad for the tournament will be revealed on Friday, September 5.
2025 Women’s ODI World Cup
Australia’s warm-up match
September 27: v England, Bengaluru
Australia’s group stage matches
October 1: v New Zealand, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 7.30pm AEST
October 4: v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 7.30pm AEST
October 8: v Pakistan, R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8.30pm AEDT
October 12: v India, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8.30pm AEDT
October 16: v Bangladesh, ACA-VDCA Stadium Visakhapatnam, 8.30pm AEDT
October 22: v England, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8.30pm AEST
October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8.30pm AEST
Finals
Semi-final 1: ACA Stadium, Guwahati or R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo*, October 29
Semi-final 2: DY Patil, Navi Mumbai, October 30
Final: Navi Mumbai or Colombo*, November 2
All matches to be broadcast exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video. A free trial is available here.
* All games involving Pakistan to be played in Colombo, including the semi-final and final if they qualify
