World Netball (WN) has announced that England Netball has been awarded the rights to host the 18th edition of the Netball World Cup (NWC) in 2031. The announcement comes in England Netball's centenary year.
The NWC2031 will be the fourth time England has hosted, following the inaugural edition in Eastbourne in 1963, where England won bronze, the 1995 edition in Birmingham, and the record-breaking Vitality NWC2019 in Liverpool. The pinnacle event, featuring 16 of the world's best netball nations, will be held at Co-op Live in Manchester, one of the world's leading next-generation live entertainment arenas. The announcement builds on the venue's history-making Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Grand Final, where netball became the first ball sport and the first sporting final to be staged there.
Vision and Support
With the backing of UK Sport and Manchester City Council, England Netball set out a clear vision in their successful bid for the NWC2031, one that aligns powerfully with WN's strategic mission to grow, play and inspire. Through the hosting of the event, WN and England Netball will together lead a Global Netball Revolution in a city built on innovation, collaboration and courage, to define the next chapter of WN's journey, and transcend the power of sport to empower, connect and inspire the global netball family.
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. 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. After reviewing their strong bid, I am confident England Netball will host another thrilling international event, and I am excited to see what we can achieve together in 2031 and beyond.”
Reactions from Key Figures
Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of England Netball, commented: “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.
“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. This is a fantastic opportunity not only to showcase our sport on the biggest stage, but also to inspire the next generation of players and fans.”
Fran Connolly, Chief Executive of England Netball, added: “Building on the huge success and legacy of Liverpool 2019, the Netball World Cup 2031 gives us a powerful platform to grow the visibility, profile and impact of women’s sport and netball across the UK. Having witnessed the spectacle of the Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Grand Final at Co-op Live earlier this summer, we know Manchester is the perfect stage on which to take our sport to another level.
“The energy, atmosphere and ambition we saw in the arena demonstrated what is possible when women’s sport is given the platform and investment it deserves. Hosting the Netball World Cup in Manchester will allow us to showcase the very best of our sport to a global audience, inspire more people to pick up a netball, and create a lasting legacy for players, fans and communities. We can’t wait to work with World Netball and our delivery partners to deliver an event that sets a new benchmark for how women’s sport is presented, experienced and valued.”
Strategic Alignment and Future Plans
Delivered with the backing of UK Sport and Manchester City Council, the NWC2031 aligns with UK Sport’s ambition to bring the biggest and best sporting events to the UK through its Making Live Sport Matter strategy. The tournament represents another important milestone in the drive to make the coming decade one of transformational progress for women's and girls' sport.
Esther Britten MBE, Head of Events and External Affairs at UK Sport, said: “This is fantastic news for netball, for Manchester and for women’s sport across the UK. The Netball World Cup in 2031 will be a landmark moment in this decade of women’s sport for the UK and represents another of the biggest and best sporting events in the world coming to the UK’s shores.
“Time and again, we’ve seen how major sporting events inspire people, bring communities together and create unforgettable experiences for fans and I am certain that Manchester 2031 will do all of that and much more. We’re proud to support England Netball in bringing the Netball World Cup back to the UK and look forward to working with our partners to deliver an outstanding tournament.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig said: "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. We look forward to working with England Netball, World Netball and partners to deliver an unforgettable event."
Councillor Shazia Butt, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Libraries, Manchester City Council said: “We are absolutely delighted that Manchester has been chosen to host the Netball World Cup in 2031.
“As the home of AO Thunder and a city with a proud tradition of showcasing women’s sport, this is a tremendous moment for us.
“Building on the successful staging of the Netball Super League Final at Co-op Live earlier this year and Manchester’s recent recognition as a Top 10 Global Sporting City for the eighth-year running, the City continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading destination for netball, driven by sporting ambition and opportunity.
“We look forward to welcoming the world and delivering an unforgettable celebration of elite netball and women’s sport.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Netball World Cup to Manchester in 2031. Manchester is a leading destination for netball as home to one of the UK’s strongest netball franchises, AO Thunder. The Netball World Cup is a premium global event and further cements Manchester’s reputation for delivering world-class women’s sporting events which includes the T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup this summer, and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027.”
Katie Musham, New Event Development for Oak View Group, owner and operator of Co-op Live, said: “Co-op Live and Oak View Group are delighted to play our part in bringing the Netball World Cup to the great city of Manchester in 2031. Manchester’s sporting legacy is unparalleled, and our home on the Etihad Campus embodies the energy and prestige an event this stature deserves.
“We look forward to building on successfully hosting the Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Grand Final this summer and further strengthening our relationship with England Netball and World Netball, to celebrate the sport, the UK’s globally renowned sporting infrastructure, and the importance of women in sport.”
WN is progressing the bidding process for further events in its international events calendar, with the NWC set to take place every two years from 2031 and will share further updates in due course. The next edition of the Netball World Cup will be held in Sydney, Australia in just under one year.
