An analysis of Aotearoa New Zealand's leverage strategies for the Women's Cricket, Rugby, and Football World Cups

This chapter uses the extraordinary context of Aotearoa New Zealand hosting the Women's Cricket, Rugby, and Football World Cups in 2022 and 2023 to consider the potential prospects and challenges involved in attempting to leverage women's international sport events to improve societal and sporting opportunities for women and girls. More specifically, it explores the proposed leveraging strategies for the tournaments and examines how such initiatives align with the New Zealand Government's Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation (WGS). Drawing upon policy documents, press releases, and media coverage, this chapter analyses how the current strategies of organisers, national sports organisations, and governing bodies align with the three main “pillars” of the WGS (leadership, participation, and visibility). The analysis presents empirical and theoretical challenges (and opportunities) faced by the tournament stakeholders. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges and possibilities hosting three world cups can have on enacting meaningful and important change for women and girls’ sport in Aotearoa.