Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has expressed hopes of achieving a sold-out women’s match in The Hundred, as the organisation explores the idea of “de-coupling” some double-header fixtures. Historically, matches have followed a format where women’s games take place during weekdays and are bundled with men’s matches on the same day, all within a concise 27-day period. Starting in 2026, there is a possibility of splitting these double-headers into separate days to boost ticket sales and attendance.
Reflecting on The Hundred’s inception, Gould recalls its start with a standalone women’s game between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals in 2021, played on consecutive days with the men’s match. Since then, the event has maintained its double-header structure. “The double-headers have been working well,” remarked Gould to ESPNcricinfo. “But we aim to reach a point where standalone fixtures might be possible for both men and women. Achieving a full house for a women’s Hundred game soon is one of our objectives.”
The double-header arrangement initially stemmed from logistical challenges during the Covid pandemic, where most women’s matches were intended for smaller venues. Despite these hurdles, the format has been successful, drawing a record 320,000 attendees to women’s matches last season. Gould remains optimistic, stating the talks with equity partners in The Hundred are “at a good state of play.”
However, introducing separate matchdays for women’s and men’s games without extending the tournament’s timeframe may pose scheduling issues. Gould acknowledges these complexities: “We’ll need to navigate that, considering broadcaster preferences and allotted days. Imagine having eight sell-out events instead of four.”
Interest in women’s cricket has notably increased, with England’s women’s team drawing sizeable crowds exceeding 100,000 each of the past two summers. Next year’s T20 World Cup will feature premier venues like Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston, and Emirates Old Trafford, further underscoring the sport’s growth.
This upward trajectory in attendance mirrors trends in other women’s sports. For example, the Women’s Super League saw Arsenal’s women attract nearly 30,000 fans on average, planning all future home games at the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup is set to break previous attendance records.
In planning ahead, the ECB aims to establish “the cleanest windows we possibly can” in future schedules, aiming to reduce overlap with England’s other cricket commitments to enhance The Hundred’s visibility and appeal.
