World Netball Awards 2031 Netball World Cup to Manchester, England

World Netball, the world governing body for netball, has announced that England Netball has been awarded the rights to host the 18th edition of the Netball World Cup in 2031 in Manchester.

The pinnacle event in the sport, featuring 16 nations, will be held at Co-op Live, the next-generation live entertainment arena in Manchester. It comes on the heels of the Soft & Gentle Netball Super League Final, which was the first ball sport and first sporting final to be staged at the venue.

The announcement comes as England Netball celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding, and the NWC2031 will be the fourth edition to be hosted in England. Its inaugural edition was held in Eastbourne in 1963, where England finished third while Australia won the title, and was followed by the 1995 edition in Birmingham (won by Australia) and the Vitality NWC2019 in Liverpool (won by New Zealand).

England Netball secured the backing of UK Sport and Manchester City Council, and its successful bid for the NWC2031 event aligned with World Netball’s ambitions to grow, play and inspire the sport and future generations.

“On behalf of World Netball, I am delighted to award England Netball the rights to host the Netball World Cup 2031,” said World Netball President Dame Liz Nicholl DBE. “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.”

“As a proud Northerner, I am absolutely thrilled to see the world’s biggest netball event coming to Manchester,” said England Netball Chair Baroness Sue Campbell. “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.”

“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,” said England Netball Chief Executive Fran Connolly. “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.”

Bringing Elite Sporting Events to the UK

The NWC2031 also aligns with UK Sport’s ambition to bring elite sporting events to the UK through its Making Live Sport Matter strategy, as well as its drive to progress women’s and girls’ sports in the next decade.

“This is fantastic news for netball, for Manchester and for women’s sport across the IJK,” said Esther Britten MBE, head of events and external affairs at UK Sport. “The Netball World Cup in 2031 will be a landmark moment in this decade of women’s sport for the I-JK 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.”

Manchester’s Sports Events Timeline

The 2031 Netball World Cup is the latest major sporting event to be confirmed for Manchester in the coming years.

In June 2027, Manchester will host a World Climbing Series event featuring Lead, Speed and Para Climbing Lead disciplines, and new urban sport and culture festival MCR Drop will debut in Manchester City Centre from August 6—8, 2027.

In addition, the North of England has been touted to bid for the 2040 Olympic Summer Games, although it has yet to register its formal interest in hosting the Games.

Northstar Meetings Group, the publisher of SportsTravel, will also bring its annual TEAMS Europe conference to Manchester for the first time, from March 23—25, 2027.

“Hosting the Netball World Cup at Co-op Live in 2031 will be a landmark moment for Greater Manchester and women’s sport,” said Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig. “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.”

“We are absolutely delighted that Manchester has been chosen to host the Netball World Cup in 2031,” said Councillor Shazia Butt, executive member for culture, leisure and libraries at Manchester City Council. “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.”

“We are thrilled to welcome the Netball World Cup to Manchester in 2031,” said Marketing Manchester Managing Director Victoria Braddock. “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.”

“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,” said Katie Musham, new event development for Oak View Group, owner and operator of Co-op Live. “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.”

Starting in 2031, the Netball World Cup will take place every two years, as opposed to the quadrennial schedule it has had since its debut. The next edition of the competition will be held in Sydney, Australia, from August 25 through September 5, 2027.