Investment to support gender-neutral facilities at venues for World Cups hosted by New Zealand.

As part of the Sport Recovery Package, funding has been allocated to upgrade changing room facilities at the match venues and training grounds that teams will use during the upcoming World Cup tournaments:

• Rugby World Cup - 18 September–16 October 2021
• ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup - February – March 2022
• FIFA Women’s Football World Cup July – August 2023

The upgrades will provide new, fit-for-purpose, unisex, multi-sport amenities for players, referees and umpires. Gender-neutral facilities have been lacking in many venues, and these upgrades will set the new standard for New Zealand facilities. The improvements will include changing rooms with individual shower cubicles and toilets, lockable cubicles, and partitioning between changing room and foyers outside. The changes will also improve access for people with disabilities.

One of Sport NZ’s objectives is to provide more New Zealanders with better spaces and places providing quality experiences when being physically active and playing sport. By doing this we will grow participation. We support organisations to plan and design world-leading sporting facilities around New Zealand to enable and inspire people to participate.

Providing appropriate, high-quality and safe facilities will also help achieve the aims in the Women and Girls in Sports and Active Recreation Strategy.

The Rugby World Cup will be held in the Northland and Auckland Regions where there are three match venues and various community facilities that the teams will be using to train and compete during the tournament. These will be the first upgrades to be completed in time for the opening of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on 18 September 2021.

Further facility upgrades around the country have been identified for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2022 and any necessary facility upgrade needs for the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup will be determined once FIFA have confirmed the venues to be used in New Zealand and Australia who are co-hosting the event. 

While the World Cup events will provide economic stimulus and generate greater interest in the sports, there will be wider valuable social and physical activity outcomes resulting from the facility upgrade projects. They will provide an enduring community legacy for inclusive sport participation in New Zealand. 

A total of $7.3 million has been committed in the 2020/2021 financial year to fund these projects.

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 facilities upgrade

Following the initial $7.3 million allocation for World Cup venues, an additional $2 million in Government funding has been invested for player facilities at the five training and competition venues for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022:

• Seddon Park (Hamilton)
• Basin Reserve (Wellington)
• Hagley Oval (Christchurch)
• University Oval (Otago)
• NZC High Performance Centre, Lincoln University (Christchurch).