The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is set to run from 30 September to 2 November, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The tournament opens in Guwahati, where India will face Sri Lanka at the Barsapara (ACA) Stadium in the inaugural match.
Tournament Format & Venue Layout
The 13th edition follows the same structure as past editions: eight teams will contest a single league (round-robin) phase comprising 28 matches, with the top four progressing to the semifinals and final (three knockout matches). Five venues are confirmed as hosts: ACA Stadium (Guwahati), Holkar Stadium (Indore), ACA-VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam), DY Patil Stadium (Navi Mumbai) in India, and R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo, Sri Lanka). Notably, DY Patil has been added to the roster of host stadiums and may stage a semifinal or final if Pakistan advance.
Because of political and security considerations, all matches involving Pakistan will be staged in Colombo (Sri Lanka) rather than on Indian soil. According to ICC, should Pakistan reach the knockout stage, Colombo will host the first semi-final and potentially the final.
Opening Rounds & Key Group Matches
The group stage kicks off with:
- 30 September: India vs Sri Lanka in Guwahati (03:00 PM IST local start)
- 1 October: Australia vs New Zealand in Indore (03:00 PM IST)
- 2 October: Bangladesh vs Pakistan in Colombo (03:00 PM IST)
Subsequent marquee fixtures include India vs Australia (in Visakhapatnam on 12 October) and England vs New Zealand (in Visakhapatnam on 26 October, beginning at 11:00 AM local time).
The group-stage schedule is dense, with multiple matches daily across India and Sri Lanka, all timed to optimize viewership and rest windows for teams.
Knockouts & Final Slots
Two semifinals are scheduled for 29 and 30 October, with the venues depending on whether Pakistan advance in the tournament. The final is set to take place on 2 November. Should Pakistan be eliminated before the knockouts, the final may be staged in India; otherwise, Sri Lanka could host.
According to ICC, the overall tournament timeline and venues remain unchanged from the initial release.
Warm-Up Phase & Broadcast Notes
Prior to the official start, warm-up matches are scheduled between 25 and 28 September across India and Sri Lanka. These fixtures serve as acclimatization opportunities rather than formal ODIs.
As for audience access, all 31 matches will be available live via Prime Video (free with Amazon account in participating markets) and other ICC broadcast partners.
The Women’s Cricket World Cup schedule for 2025 reflects both ambition and care — tightly packed group rounds, multi-nation hosting logistics, and contingencies for geopolitics in match assignments. For fans and teams alike, consistency, recovery time, and strategic timing will be critical through October. As permutations unfold, each day will matter — and the clock starts ticking 30 September, Guwahati.
