Match schedule announced for ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 in Hamilton

The new undercover seating for wheelchair users at Seddon Park. Photo / Michael Pulman

Hamilton's Seddon Park will host seven International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's Cricket World Cup matches in 2022, including two featuring New Zealand's White Ferns.

The venues were announced by ICC this week, when it confirmed the match schedule.

Hamilton will host Australia, England, India and South Africa, along with other nations that are yet to qualify, in March 2022.

Seddon Park was one of four venues to benefit from a recently announced $2 million Government-funded facilities upgrade in preparation for the tournament. Toilets and showers at the park will be upgrade, plus gender-neutral toilets and facilities for people with disabilities added.

The disability facilities include a covered stand for wheelchair users, which was sponsored by Archgola and Northern District Cricket Team.

The funding was made available specifically for the world cup event.

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate said seven world-class matches in the city will be welcome news for cricket fans, especially given Seddon Park's international reputation as a great venue for spectators.

"Today's announcement is another strong endorsement of Hamilton's growing reputation for supporting major events. It's absolutely brilliant that we will have some of the best players of the world here – how fantastic. It's a chance for us to showcase our city to the world and we will do everything we can to make sure cricket fans stay here and enjoy what our city has to offer," Southgate said.

March 2022 is shaping up to be a big month for major events in the Waikato. The IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival is estimated to bring up to 5000 visitors to the region, running from March 28 to April 3 at Lake Karapiro.

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 CEO Andrea Nelson said the team is proud to be delivering a tournament where Kiwis across the whole country, in six host cities, can get involved.

"We can't wait to see the excitement build around New Zealand as we prepare to roll out the welcome mat for the rest of the world," she said.

This schedule takes the world's best cricketers across New Zealand and can help inspire a generation of girls and boys to take up the game.