England has been awarded hosting rights for the Netball World Cup for the third time, with Manchester selected as the venue for the 2031 tournament. The decision marks a significant moment for the sport in the country, which previously staged the inaugural competition in 1963 in Eastbourne and the 2019 edition in Liverpool.
The 2031 World Cup will take place at Manchester's Co-op Live arena, the same venue that hosted the 2026 Netball Super League Grand Final. Sixteen teams will compete in the tournament, with the host nation qualifying automatically for the event.
England's record at home World Cups has been mixed. The nation claimed bronze medals at both the 1963 and 2019 tournaments on home soil, a record the team will hope to improve when they stage the competition again in 2031.
Before then, England will look to make their mark at the 2027 World Cup in Sydney, where defending champions Australia will host the event. The team's ambition is to go beyond their silver medal finish at the 2023 World Cup in South Africa and claim their first world title.
According to World Netball's recent announcement, the tournament structure is undergoing significant change. The Netball World Cup will move to a two-year cycle after the 2027 tournament, with the next edition planned for 2029 rather than following the traditional four-year pattern.
Qualification pathway for 2031
The format for the 2031 tournament will follow World Netball's established qualification process. England, as the host nation, will qualify automatically, while five additional places will go to the highest-ranked teams on the qualification date. The remaining ten spots will be decided through regional qualifiers, ensuring representation from across the globe.
Baroness Campbell hails Manchester opportunity
Baroness Sue Campbell, chair of England Netball, expressed her enthusiasm for bringing the tournament to the north of England.
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 highlighted the significance of hosting the world's elite players in the region.
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.
Campbell also emphasised the broader impact of staging such a major sporting event.
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.
World Netball president backs England's bid
World Netball president Dame Liz Nicholl DBE pointed to the lasting legacy created by England's previous hosting experience.
England last hosted our pinnacle event 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.
Dame Liz expressed confidence in England's ability to deliver another successful tournament.
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.
Growing women's sport visibility
England netball chief executive Fran Connolly stressed the importance of the tournament for raising the profile of women's sport across the country.
[This World Cup] gives us a powerful platform to grow the visibility, profile and impact of women's sport and netball across the UK.
Connolly pointed to the recent experience of hosting the Netball Super League Grand Final at Co-op Live as evidence that Manchester possesses the infrastructure and atmosphere needed for a world-class event.
Having witnessed the spectacle of 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.
She described the energy and investment demonstrated at the venue as a model for what women's sport can achieve.
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.
Connolly outlined the broader objectives for the 2031 tournament.
Hosting the 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.
What happens next
England's immediate focus will be on the 2027 World Cup in Sydney. Following World Netball's shift to a two-year cycle, the tournament schedule will accelerate, with the next edition after 2027 planned for 2029. This represents a significant change from the traditional four-year interval between World Cups, reflecting the sport's growing momentum and global interest.
