The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the upcoming Women’s Twenty20 World Cup will offer a record total prize pool of $8.8 million.

According to the ICC, the team that wins the tournament will receive $2.3 million, while the runners-up will take home $1.17 million. Both teams that lose in the semi-finals will receive $675,000 each.

The global event will feature 12 teams and will be held in England and Wales starting from June 12. Defending champions New Zealand will enter the tournament hoping to retain the title they won in 2024.

The ICC also confirmed that every participating team will receive at least $248,000, ensuring financial rewards for all sides competing in the tournament.

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Although the prize pool marks a new record for the Women’s T20 World Cup, it is still smaller compared with some recent ICC tournaments.

For example, the Women’s 50-over World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka last year offered a prize pool of $13.9 million, the highest ever for an ICC women’s event. That amount represented a 297% increase compared with the previous edition in 2022.

India won that tournament and received $4.5 million in prize money.

Meanwhile, the men’s ICC events have also featured large prize pools. The men’s 50-over World Cup held in India in 2023 had a prize pot of $10 million, while the men’s T20 World Cup played in India and Sri Lanka this year offered $11.25 million.

ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said the increasing investment in women’s cricket reflects the sport’s rising popularity and influence across the world.

He said the growth of women’s cricket shows the strong impact female athletes are making on the global stage.

Cricket analysts say that higher prize money and larger tournaments are helping women’s cricket attract more talent, fans, and commercial investment.