Christchurch's Hagley Oval set to host the final of Women's World Cup in 2021

The six cities that will welcome sports fans from around the globe to New Zealand for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 early next year have been confirmed. Auckland will host a bumper opening weekend at Eden Park, before the focus shifts to matches in Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin and Christchurch.

The tournament, which features 31 matches played between February 6 and March 7, will be capped by a spectacular final in Christchurch under lights at Hagley Oval. Highlights of tournament details revealed today include:

• Eden Park to host a bumper opening weekend
• Christchurch to host final under lights at Hagley Park
• Hamilton and Tauranga to host semi-finals
• New Zealand to play at all venues including Dunedin and Wellington

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup CEO Andrea Nelson said she was delighted to announce the six host cities for what promises to be a truly national event. “Our goal was to ensure all 31 matches will be played at the best venues, encompassing a geographic spread that ensured as many Kiwi sports fans as possible get to engage with the tournament,” Nelson said.

“It was great to see the enthusiasm from so many cities bidding for a chance to welcome the best players in the world to their back yard,” Nelson said. We’re absolutely thrilled with the outcome of that robust process and the cities that are now locked in,” she said.

Today’s announcement at Auckland’s Kohimarama Beach was followed by a game of beach cricket featuring Indian’s global cricketing superstar Mithali Raj; newly appointed WHITE FERNS captain Sophie Devine and teammates Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, BLACKCAPS Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls and 2000 World Cup winners Emily Drumm and Rebecca Rolls.

Following the consents being granted for the installation of lights at Hagley Oval for the final late last year, the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final has been allocated to Christchurch. Ongoing monitoring is in place to ensure the lights are in place for the February event.

Newly appointed WHITE FERNS captain Sophie Devine said the chance to contest a World Cup on home soil was an incredible opportunity. The dual code cricket and hockey international, who first donned the WHITE FERNS top at the age of 17, was particularly excited “to have the opportunity to play in the World Cup on home soil back where it all began for me in Wellington”.

Mithali Raj on playing in New Zealand

India’s veteran global superstar Mithali Raj – who recently announced her retirement from the T20 format to focus on ODI matches – was also on hand for the host city announcements. “Playing for your country is always a special feeling and we’re all very excited to play in the beautiful country of New Zealand,”

“Women’s cricket is slowly getting access to centre stage so it’s important that we continue to grow this interest around the world,” she says. With the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 set to showcase the rapid global growth in female cricket, millions of eyes will be on New Zealand next year. The full match schedule will be announced when the event is officially launched in March.

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 at a glance

• Hosted in New Zealand from February 6 to March 7, 2021
• Eight nations
• 31 matches
• 6 host cities: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin