The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has urged its members to attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final at Lord’s on Sunday, July 5, in an effort to avoid a repeat of the criticism it faced during the 2017 Women’s World Cup final.
Ahead of the highly anticipated clash between Australia and England, the MCC Women’s World Cup Final has become the focus of an important appeal from the club’s leadership, with members encouraged to either use their tickets or return them for redistribution.
MCC statement women’s final
The MCC statement women’s final came in the form of an official letter from Chief Executive and Secretary Robert Lawson.
In the letter, Lawson stressed that it was vital for the club’s reputation to ensure that the Members’ Pavilion and members’ enclosures were well occupied throughout the final, regardless of which teams qualified.
He warned that the club could not afford a repeat of the scenes witnessed during the 2017 Women’s World Cup final, when television cameras showed a noticeable contrast between the packed public stands and the largely empty members’ Pavilion.
Lawson explained that such images damaged the club’s reputation and created the impression that the traditional membership had failed to support women’s cricket.
Lessons from the 2017 final
The concerns surrounding the MCC Women’s World Cup Final stem from the criticism that followed the 2017 tournament.
Although Lord’s attracted a sold out crowd of around 24,000 spectators for England’s victory over India, the exclusive Pavilion was visibly underoccupied. The empty white seats became one of the most discussed images of the day, attracting criticism from fans and media across the cricket world.
Many believed the contrast undermined what was otherwise a landmark occasion for women’s cricket.
The MCC now hopes to avoid similar scenes by encouraging members to fill their allocated seats throughout the final.
Focus on modernising the club
The MCC statement women’s final also reflects the club’s wider efforts to improve its image regarding equality and inclusion.
Founded in 1787, the MCC remained a men only institution for more than two centuries before women were admitted as members in 1998.
Today, women still make up less than three percent of the club’s approximately 18,350 full members.
The issue has attracted increased attention in recent years, particularly after the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket released a report in 2023 that criticised the club’s progress on gender equality.
Tickets could be reallocated
With the Women’s T20 World Cup enjoying record breaking support, demand for the final is extremely high.
More than 160,000 tickets have been sold across the tournament, making it one of the most successful editions in the competition’s history.
To ensure every available seat is filled, Lawson has asked members who cannot attend to notify the MCC so their tickets can be offered to members of the general public.
As Australia and England prepare to battle for the world title, the MCC Women’s World Cup Final is expected to deliver a memorable occasion both on and off the field. By encouraging members to attend or return unused tickets, the MCC statement women’s final aims to ensure that Lord’s presents a packed and vibrant atmosphere worthy of one of the biggest events in women’s cricket.
