The ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Some top nations from around the world battle it out in the field to get their hands on the coveted trophy.
Since its inception in 1975, many countries have hosted this pinnacle event. England, the birthplace of Cricket, has hosted the ODI World Cup 5 times — the most by any country.
Now, India will host the tournament for the fourth time in October-November 2023. With that, let’s take a look at the countries that have hosted the World Cup the most times.
England – 5 Times
As I mentioned earlier, England played host to 5 World Cup editions. The International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded the hosting rights of the first 3 World Cups — 1975, 1979, and 1983 — to England.
Later, in 1999, England co-hosted the event for the fourth time along with Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Wales. Further, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) co-hosted the 12th edition of this prestigious tournament in 2019 with Wales.
India – 4 Times
India is one of the most cricket-crazy nations in the world, with the Indian cricket team boasting a mighty fan following. After India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the popularity of the sport went through the roof.
The rising popularity resulted in India co-hosting the tournament for the first time with its neighbour, Pakistan, in 1987. Then, after a gap of 9 years, India again co-hosted the 50-over competition along with Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996.
India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh jointly bid for the 2011 edition’s hosting rights. The 2011 World Cup will be remembered for a long time, as India won the trophy after 28 years.
Now, the renowned competition will return to India for the fourth time in 2023, but this time India will host it without any co-hosts.
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Countries that have Hosted the World Cup 2 Times
Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka have all hosted this 50-over extravaganza twice.
Pakistan co-hosted the event with India in 1987 and later in 1996. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, also co-hosted the 1996 edition and one more time in 2011, along with India and Bangladesh.
Talking about Australia and New Zealand, both of the countries have co-hosted the tournament on two occasions, in 1992 and 2015. In the 2015 edition, both teams played in the summit clash of the competition, with Australia beating New Zealand to win the title for the fifth time.
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Countries that have Hosted the World Cup Once
So far, other full members like South Africa, the West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Bangladesh have co-hosted the Cricket World Cup once. Notably, some associate nations like Scotland, the Netherlands, and Kenya have also co-hosted the event once, though a few matches were played in these countries.
Final Words
Only England and India have had the privilege of hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup on more than 3 occasions. Moreover, the tournament has been hosted significantly in the Asian region, where cricket’s popularity is immense.
Hopefully, more countries will host this esteemed tournament as cricket expands its footprint in the coming years.
