The 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is all set to light up India and Sri Lanka, as the two nations join hands to co-host the event. The tournament kicks off on September 30, 2025, in Navi Mumbai, setting the stage for over a month of high-octane clashes before the final in early November.
Eight of the world’s best women’s teams will battle it out on a cricket field, where every team takes on every rival. Star Sports Network will broadcast the matches live on television, while JioHotstar will stream every ball digitally.
The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 is sponsored by Unilever, specifically through its personal care brands such as Rexona and Dove. This marks the first time the ICC has secured a commercial sponsorship deal specifically dedicated to women’s cricket, separate from its men’s cricket partnerships.
While the fundamental rules of cricket remain the same, the Women’s World Cup has a few differences: it uses a slightly smaller and lighter ball, and the boundaries are shorter (55–64 metres) compared to men’s tournaments. These adjustments make the game faster, with more boundaries and shorter match durations.
Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer, Adani Sportsline, says that in just three seasons, the WPL has transformed the profile of women’s cricket, making it stronger with every passing year. For the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, he expects brands to step up with campaigns matching the scale and ambition usually reserved for men’s tournaments. “Today, women cricketers command massive fan followings, and with India co-hosting, brands are rightly viewing this World Cup as a marquee cricketing property with immense commercial value,” he notes.
Adesara adds that they are seeing interest beyond traditional sponsors. “We’re seeing beauty, personal care, lifestyle, and D2C brands step in because for them women’s sport offers an authentic and aspirational space to connect with consumers.”
As per Kantar’s ‘India in Search’ report, online searches for women’s cricket in India increased by 103% from November 2023 to October 2024. In fact, according to the ICC, the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup was the most-watched ICC women’s event to date, with global viewing hours reaching 192 million—a 44% increase from the 2020 World Cup in Australia.
According to data shared in the D&P Advisory IPL Valuation Report 2024, the WPL ecosystem in 2024 increased by 7% to $160 million, up from $150 million in its inaugural season.
With the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 happening in India, brand interest is expected to surge further as companies explore deeper participation through live events, fan meetups, and community engagements.
Bhairav Shanth, MD, ITW Consulting, believes the 2025 edition will be the biggest ICC Women’s tournament yet, even surpassing the 2024 T20 World Cup. He notes that brands are now proactively asking for opportunities tied specifically to the women’s event, a clear sign of the tournament’s growing stature and the rising profile of women’s cricket overall.
“Viewership has jumped 40% year-on-year, and the WPL 2025 opener drew 30 million viewers, outpacing even global spectacles like the FIFA Women’s World Cup. For brands, the window of opportunity is now. Sponsorship value will never be this cost-effective again,” Shanth adds.
Neerav Tomar, Founder and Managing Director of IOS Sports & Entertainment, believes that there will be interest from all brand categories when it comes to the Women’s World Cup. “There are several compelling narratives offered by the Women’s World Cup, such as women’s empowerment, excellence, and aspiration. These values resonate deeply with multiple brands across different categories,” he states. He also brings to attention the audience demographic, “The audience for women’s cricket in India spans Tier 1 metros to Tier 2 markets. The fanbase is younger, more gender-diverse than men’s cricket, and a true goldmine for brands.”
Shiv Burman, founder of Burman Sports, says that the brand has two doors into the Women’s World Cup: ICC/team sponsorships, or media and advertising. The ICC’s new two-tier rights make it clearer than ever: Tier 1 partners span men’s and women’s events, while Tier 2 allows additional investment in the women’s game.
Adesara adds that women’s cricket offers brands a high-intent, purist audience at a lower cost than the men’s game, with fewer advertisers and stronger cut-through. It also provides a powerful narrative platform to champion women and align with cultural icons like Smriti, Jemimah, and Harmanpreet, who carry real influence.
Brand’s interest
Beyond the on-field action, the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 is shaping up as a commercial blockbuster. With rising viewership, a younger and more gender-diverse audience, and growing cultural relevance, brands are no longer treating women’s cricket as an afterthought.
Mia by Tanishq, which was the back-of-jersey sponsor for RCB women’s team, sees clear value in this shift. Sampurna Rakshit, Marketing and E-commerce Head, Mia by Tanishq, says, “Women’s cricket is watched by men and women alike. It allows us to connect not just with women but also to strengthen awareness of our brand among men. With almost half of Mia being bought by men for gifting, it is important that we retain top-of-mind recall with them as well. Watching their favourite stars sport our jewellery helps drive recall in women too.”
While not disclosing whether they are partnering for this edition, she adds that the World Cup opens up opportunities for engagement beyond sponsorships, including on-ground activations.
Shaily Mehrotra, CEO and Co-Founder, Fixderma, says the brand is open to exploring opportunities in women’s cricket. “For us, it’s never just about putting a logo on a jersey; it’s about building partnerships that truly inspire women. If Fixderma were to associate with the Women’s World Cup, I’d want the focus to be on athlete-led storytelling, conversations around wellness and skin health, and initiatives that celebrate the confidence women gain when they pursue their passions without barriers.”
On the same lines, Shankar Prasad, Founder & CEO, Plum, while also reserving his comment on specific investment plans around the Women’s World Cup, says, “If we do partner, it would be to reinforce Plum’s philosophy that with the right inputs, everyone can reach their full potential. When India hosts a global event, the engagement, emotion, and visibility naturally multiply. You also don’t face constraints like time zone differences, which makes the connection with audiences even stronger.”
According to Shanth, the Women’s World Cup offers authentic engagement tied to national pride, which will drive higher spending and stronger ROI. “Based on trends from the WPL and recent ICC events, we’ve seen strong interest from brands whose core audience is women, including beauty, cosmetics, grooming, fashion, and FMCG. With women’s cricket drawing a large and highly engaged female fanbase, even categories like feminine health are likely to come on board,” he states. However, things could be different this time, as he adds, “At the same time, with the World Cup on home soil, lifestyle, automotive, and digital payment brands can’t afford to sit out. Missing this would mean missing a cultural moment with millions of engaged fans.”
Burman points out that on the advertising front, several key categories are likely to step in, particularly during the business end of the tournament, which coincides with Diwali. But he highlights a nuance many marketers tend to miss: the majority of women’s cricket viewers in India today are men. And not just casual, highlight-driven spectators, these are purists, deeply invested in the game.
At the same time, Burman notes, the Women’s World Cup offers brands a powerful platform to celebrate excellence in women. Brands that can tell those stories with authenticity will stand apart because this is not simply about advertising to women, but about advocating for them.
The ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 is no longer just a sporting tournament. It is a commercial opportunity that brands are closely watching. With rising viewership, a diverse audience, and a growing narrative of empowerment, the event has the potential to become one of the most valuable branding platforms in global sport. But with the Men’s Asia Cup also on the calendar in the same month, the real question is: Will the Women’s cricket team get the same love from brands as the men’s cricket team?
