Chris Bishop keen to continue bringing global sports events to New Zealand

The Black Ferns celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup final, played in 2022. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand has savoured a golden run of major sports events in recent years. The question now is what’s next? Other than the Twenty20 men’s Cricket World Cup New Zealand will jointly stage with Australia in 2028, the horizon is empty.

In the last two years women’s sport moved into full view with a series of pinnacle events in New Zealand that significantly increased visibility, coverage and participation.

Last year alone featured two World Cups on New Zealand soil as Australia captured their seventh global cricket title and, later in 2022, the Black Ferns won their memorable Rugby World Cup final against England at Eden Park.

This year the Fifa World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, then captured widespread appeal as the Football Ferns secured their maiden World Cup match victory before Spain claimed their first crown.

That tournament delivered $109.5 million to the New Zealand economy and, following the Black Ferns’ home success, a 29 per cent rise in female sport viewership that translates to 450,000 more spectators for broadcasts.

Hosting three World Cups didn’t happen by chance, with former sports minister Grant Robertson consistently championing women’s sport by making it his top portfolio priority.

Despite the dearth of major events locked in for the coming years, Minister for Sport Chris Bishop is pledging to maintain Robertson’s spotlight on women’s sport, while seeking to secure other headline attractions.

“One thing the last Government got right was a real focus on female participation in sport. We will continue that,” Bishop said. “I’m keen to sit down with Grant Robertson, the former minister, and get a sense from him of what he was working on and the priorities.

“I don’t think sport should be a particularly political portfolio. We should work across the aisle. We all benefit from an active population in so many different ways so I’m keen to keep that bipartisan focus going.

“We want major events to be here. It’s good for our development and sporting growth and showcasing New Zealand to the world. We will look for those opportunities and where the Government can play a role in helping make that happen.”

The Fifa Women's World Cup proved New Zealand's ability to host global sporting events. Photo / Photosport

With New Zealand’s sporting calendar crying out for more major events, Bishop and the Government have a high expectation threshold to meet.

Kane Williamson will be 38 by the time the 2028 Twenty20 World Cup rolls into town. Wanaka will stage the annual Winter Games, and SailGP returns to Christchurch in March after Auckland botched its hosting chance this year.

Otherwise, though, with Team New Zealand’s defence of the America’s Cup sold to Barcelona next year, sports events of global significance could be absent from New Zealand for some time.

The Commonwealth Games need a saviour for 2026 after Victoria cited cost blowouts for ditching the event. The Gold Coast has since pulled out, too, leaving the increasing likelihood it will need to be moved from Australia – and possibly postponed by a year.

Bishop ruled out New Zealand stepping in as an 11th-hour host but he supports the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s initial expression of interest in staging the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s unrealistic we would step in to host in 2026,” Bishop said. “It’s disappointing what happened with Victoria. I don’t have an update on any potential replacement for that.

“I am interested whether New Zealand as a whole could look at a bid in future. The hosting model changed recently where you look at nationwide so it’s not in one city like it was in Auckland in 1990, Christchurch in 1974, but more of a regional focus around the country.

“The Olympic committee has said to the Com Games Federation that New Zealand is interested in considering a bid but it’s very early days in that process. We will work through that.”

After the lack of interest in hosting the 2026 event, the Commonwealth Games’ future has been widely questioned. However, Bishop remains a proponent of its continued relevance.

“My own view on the Commonwealth Games ... people say ‘it’s time in the sun has passed’ in the same way people say the Commonwealth has passed more generally.

“For many athletes in New Zealand it would be the peak of their careers. I still think it has a real role to play and it’s a traditional event where New Zealand does pretty well.

“What New Zealand’s future role in hosting will be determined.”

Whether Bishop’s support for the Commonwealth Games stretches to consistently growing women’s sport’s profile and attracting future major events remains to be seen.

Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.