Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025-26: Winners, Hosts & Schedule

For decades, India women’s cricket carried the weight of what-ifs. Then, on a November evening in Navi Mumbai, Harmanpreet Kaur lifted the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy for the first time, ending Australia’s stranglehold and reshaping the sport’s landscape.

First Women’s Cricket World Cup: 1973 (England) ·
Most ODI titles: Australia (7) ·
Most T20 titles: Australia (6) ·
India’s titles: 1 (2025) ·
2025 champion: India

Six facts, one pattern: India’s first title breaks the Australian monopoly but also highlights how competitive the women’s game has become.

The implication: India’s maiden title puts them on the champions’ board for the first time, adding a fresh rivalry to a tournament long scripted by Australia and England.

Where is the next Women’s Cricket World Cup?

The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai (ESPN scorecard). Looking ahead, the next major world cup on the calendar is the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which the International Cricket Council has scheduled to take place in England and Wales. The exact venues and match schedule have not yet been released, but the tournament is expected to run in July–August 2026.

Where was the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final held?

• The 2025 ODI final was played at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai on 2 November 2025 (ESPN scorecard).
• India scored 298/7 and restricted South Africa to 246, winning by 52 runs.

The catch: India’s home‑soil victory made them only the third nation (after England and Australia) to lift the ODI trophy on home ground.

Who is hosting the Women’s World Cup 2027?

As of early 2026, the ICC has not announced a host for the 2027 edition. The tournament is expected to revert to an ODI format and will likely expand to ten teams, as the 2025 edition was the last with eight participants (Wikipedia entry).

The hosting dynamics have shifted with India’s win.

How many Women’s Cricket World Cups has India won?

India women have won one ICC Cricket World Cup – the 2025 ODI edition. This ended a long drought that included runner‑up finishes in the ODI World Cup (2005, 2017) and the T20 World Cup (2020). Under Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy, India defeated South Africa in the final to secure their maiden title (ICC tournament page).

Did Harmanpreet Kaur shake hands?

• During the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana skipped the post‑match handshake after a tense group‑stage match.
• Neither player publicly explained the snub; media reports suggested on‑field friction as a possible cause.

What this means: The incident remains one of the most talked‑about off‑field moments in recent women’s cricket, highlighting the intensity of India–Pakistan rivalries.

Does Harmanpreet Kaur have a partner?

Harmanpreet Kaur has not publicly confirmed a spouse or partner. In interviews she has described cricket as her primary focus, and no official records list a marriage.

Harmanpreet’s legacy is secure regardless of personal life.

Who has won the most Women’s Cricket World Cups?

Australia dominates the all‑time winners’ list with seven ODI titles and six T20 titles – both records. England follows with four ODI crowns, New Zealand has one, and India now joins the list with one (Wikipedia entry). The 2025 title broke Australia’s streak of four consecutive ODI titles.

Which country has won the most Women’s T20 World Cups?

• Australia – 6 titles (most recent in 2023)
• England – 1 title (2009)
• West Indies – 1 title (2016)

Australia’s dominance in the T20 format is even more pronounced than in ODIs – they have won six of the eight editions.

What is the women’s cricket world cup winners list?

The pattern of winners reveals Australia’s dominance.

The pattern: Australia’s near‑complete dominance is now interrupted by India’s first title, suggesting a shifting balance of power.

When is the next Women’s Cricket World Cup?

The next ODI Women’s Cricket World Cup is not scheduled until 2029. The immediate focus is the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, set to be hosted by England and Wales (Wikipedia entry).

What is the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup schedule?

• Host: England and Wales
• Expected window: July–August 2026
• Official fixtures not yet released; ICC expected to publish them by mid‑2026.

The trade‑off: With the ODI cycle shifting to a four‑year gap (2025→2029), the T20 World Cup will become the primary global event in even‑numbered years.

Where is the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup held?

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will be held in England and Wales.

Where is the next women’s cricket world cup?

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will be the next women’s world cup, followed by the 2027 ODI World Cup (host TBC). India’s 2025 triumph has already sparked increased interest in the 2026 tournament, especially with England as hosts.

Which teams qualify for the Women’s Cricket World Cup?

Host nation qualifies automatically. Other places are determined by a combination of ICC rankings and qualifying tournaments (e.g., the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier).

The T20 World Cup will test India’s ability to defend.

Who is the richest female cricketer?

Smriti Mandhana is widely reported as the richest female cricketer, with an estimated net worth of ₹30–35 crore (≈$3.6–4.2 million) as of 2024. Her earnings come from a central BCCI contract, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) salary with Royal Challengers Bangalore, and endorsements (Wikipedia entry). Other top earners include Harmanpreet Kaur, Mithali Raj, and Ellyse Perry.

What are the earnings of top women cricketers?

• Smriti Mandhana: ₹3.4 crore WPL salary + ₹50 lakh BCCI retainer + endorsements
• Harmanpreet Kaur: ₹3.4 crore WPL + ₹50 lakh BCCI retainer
• Ellyse Perry: ₹7 crore WPL (highest auction price in 2024) + Cricket Australia contract
• Mithali Raj: retired but earned from BCCI contracts and the WPL as mentor

Why this matters: The WPL, launched in 2023, has dramatically increased earnings for women cricketers, narrowing the pay gap with the men’s game.

How do women cricketers earn money?

• Domestic T20 leagues (WPL, The Hundred, WBBL) – salaries and match fees
• Central contracts from national boards (BCCI, Cricket Australia, ECB)
• Match fees for international tours
• Brand endorsements and social media partnerships

Despite top earnings, the average player still struggles.

Where is the women’s world cup final held?

The 2025 final was at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, India. The 2022 final (ODI) was played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, and the 2023 T20 final at Newlands, Cape Town. The 2026 T20 final venue has not been announced.

Where will the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final be held?

• The 2025 final was confirmed for DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai (ESPN scorecard).
• Attended by a sell‑out crowd of over 40,000 spectators.

Where was the last Women’s World Cup final held?

• 2023 T20 final – Newlands, Cape Town (South Africa)
• 2022 ODI final – Hagley Oval, Christchurch (New Zealand)
• All three finals have been held in different continents, reflecting the tournament’s global spread.

The pattern: Women’s World Cup finals are increasingly hosted in larger stadiums, a sign of growing commercial and spectator interest.

“It’s a dream come true for every Indian cricketer. We have waited for this moment for decades.”

– Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain, after the 2025 final (ICC tournament page)

“They outplayed us in every department. India deserved to win today.”

– Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa captain, 2025 final post‑match press conference

For Indian cricket fans, the choice is clear: build on this historic victory by investing in grassroots and the WPL, or risk falling behind as Australia rebuilds. For the rest of the world, the message is that the women’s game now has a new power centre – and the 2026 T20 World Cup in England will be the first test of whether India’s success was a one‑off or the start of a dynasty.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Asia Cup Schedule 2025: Fixtures, Results & Super 4 · Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Match Scorecard: 1st T20I & Asia Cup