The rapid rise of women’s sport has sparked discussions about whether major events in different disciplines are competing for the same audience. As women’s cricket continues to expand globally and women’s football attracts record viewership, some have questioned whether the two sports could clash for fan attention.
ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta does not see it that way. He believes the growth of women’s sport is creating more opportunities for all disciplines rather than forcing them into competition. According to Gupta, as reported by The Sportstar, the success of one sport helps raise the profile of women’s sport as a whole, encouraging greater interest, investment and media coverage.
Women’s sport is reaching new heights
Women’s cricket has enjoyed significant growth in recent years, with rising attendance figures, stronger broadcast deals and increasing digital engagement. The ICC has worked to expand the reach of the women’s game through wider coverage, new markets and enhanced fan experiences.
“Our ambition for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is to make it the biggest women’s sporting event ever.”
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has outlined an ambitious digital-first vision for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with free streaming across 80+ territories, coverage in nine… pic.twitter.com/P07nUaE5oO
— cricexec (@cricexec) June 11, 2026
The governing body views the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as a major milestone in that journey. The tournament is expected to attract a global audience and further strengthen the sport’s position on the international stage, and talking about that, Sanjog Gupta said the Women’s T20 World Cup can “co-exist” with the FIFA World Cup.
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“We genuinely see this event as a seminal moment for the sport,” Gupta said as quoted by Sportstar. “I think the World Cups can co-exist. We’ve not seen any impact on ticket sales.” He added.
Gupta said the focus remains on building long-term momentum for women’s cricket rather than worrying about competition from other sports. “If anything, the ticket sales have been stronger than ever, which is why we’re at a point where we’ve sold more tickets than any previous edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup.” He added.
Focus on the Women’s T20 World Cup
The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales will be the largest edition of the tournament so far. Twelve teams will compete across 33 matches, showcasing some of the best talent in the game.
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For the ICC, the event represents another opportunity to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket and attract new fans around the world. Gupta remains confident that women’s cricket and women’s football can thrive together. “If anything, the ticket sales have been stronger than ever, which is why we’re at a point where we’ve sold more tickets than any previous edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup,” Gupta said.
“We’ve seen tremendous acceleration in the growth of women’s cricket to an extent where we now believe this event could potentially be one of the two biggest women’s sporting events ever. It is not in any way being played in the shadow of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.” He added.
The ICC’s priority is to continue expanding the women’s game and ensure that its biggest events leave a lasting impact on players, fans and the wider sporting landscape.
