Manchester has been announced as the host city for the Netball World Cup 2031, marking only the fourth time the major sporting event has been held in England. The pinnacle event, staged at Co-op Live, will see 16 of the world’s best netball nations compete for the coveted title.
Fourth time in England
The Netball World Cup was first held in Eastbourne in 1963, when England won bronze. The event was also hosted in Birmingham in 1995 and in Liverpool in 2019. The next edition will take place in Sydney, Australia next year.
Organisers said the Manchester event in 2031, which will mark the 18th Netball World Cup, will lead a ‘global netball revolution’ and encourage more people to take up the sport. Organised by World Netball (WN) and England Netball, the bid has received backing from UK Sport and Manchester City Council.
Official reaction
WN President Dame Liz Nicholl DBE said: “On behalf of World Netball I am delighted to award England Netball the rights to host the Netball World Cup 2031.” She added: “England last hosted our pinnacle event the Vitality Netball World Cup in 2019, for which the legacy still lives on globally through Net2019 legacy projects in Zambia and Argentina, as well as in Great Britain where 160,000 women were inspired to start playing or play more netball because of the event.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig called it a ‘landmark moment’ for the city region, saying: “Hosting the Netball World Cup at Co-op Live in 2031 will be a landmark moment for Greater Manchester and women’s sport. Building on our city region’s proud sporting heritage and track record of staging major international events, the tournament will showcase world-class netball from 16 competing countries to a global audience, inspire more people to take part in the sport and create a lasting legacy for communities across Greater Manchester.”
Venue and recent success
The announcement comes months after Co-op Live hosted the Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Grand Final. The June tournament marked the first staging of a ball sport at the venue, as well as its first sporting final, with Manchester’s AO Thunder defeating London Pulse.
Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of England Netball, said: “As a proud Northerner, I am absolutely thrilled to see the world’s biggest netball event coming to Manchester. This is a city with an incredible sporting heritage and a real passion for bringing people together through sport.” She added: “To have the best netball players in the world coming to Manchester is a hugely exciting prospect, and I know the city will give them the welcome they deserve.”
The England squad won silver at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town and will compete in Sydney again next year.
