For generations, Marylebone Cricket Club and Lord's Cricket Ground have stood at the heart of the game. While often associated with its long and storied traditions, recent years have also seen Lord's play an increasingly prominent role in the growth of women's cricket, both on and off the field.

The 2026 season marks a significant moment not just for Lord’s, but for women’s cricket more broadly. This summer, the Ground will host a record number of major women’s fixtures, with 21 matches scheduled, more than doubling the number of available seats compared to 2025. Across international cricket, domestic competitions and pathway finals, hundreds of thousands of spectators will have the opportunity to attend women’s matches at the Home of Cricket. This builds on strong recent demand, with several women’s fixtures in recent seasons setting attendance records at Lord’s, including the 21,610 who watched England Women versus Australia women in the 2023 Ashes and in so doing became part of the highest bilateral attendance at an England Women’s home international. 

Among the highlights for 2026 is the first ever women’s Test match at Lord’s – with over 20,000 tickets already sold – coming 50 years after Rachael Heyhoe Flint led a side onto the Main Ground. Lord’s will also host four matches in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, including the Final, while the continued evolution of London Spirit in The Hundred reflects a competition that has placed women’s and men’s cricket on an equal stage.  
 
Today, the Club celebrates its eighth MCC Women’s Day at Lord’s, with an MCC Women’s team taking on ICC Europe, before a fixture against a State School XI. 
 
In addition, Lord’s will welcome the first-ever Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup State Schools’ Girls’ Final, alongside a sustained increase in women’s and girls’ fixtures, including MCC Foundation Schools’ Hub Finals. As well as the match schedule, MCC continues to invest in initiatives designed to broaden access to the game, including programmes such as the Young Female Broadcaster initiative.

These milestones are part of a much broader shift within the sport. Women’s cricket is one of the fastest-growing areas in global sport, with the UK market alone projected to be worth £1 billion by 2030. That growth is being driven not only by increased investment and professionalism, but by audiences themselves. 

The wider success of women’s sport has also played its part, with teams such as the England women's national football team and the England women's national rugby union team helping to bring new visibility and energy to women’s competition. Within cricket, this momentum is being matched by stronger engagement across stakeholders, players and fans, both in the UK and internationally. 

Taken together, these many developments ensure that Lord’s is a home for Women’s Cricket. The Ground is playing an increasingly central role in showcasing the game at every level, from international finals to grassroots showcases, while continuing to evolve alongside the sport it serves.  

At the same time, the Club recognises that progress on the field and around the Ground has not yet been fully reflected within its own membership. As MCC reflects on how its membership evolves alongside the game, it is undertaking a consultation with Members on the topic of gender diversity. 

The context for this discussion is clear. Women’s participation in cricket, both playing and watching, has grown significantly in recent years, with around a third of cricket audiences now estimated to be female. As the game evolves, there is a growing expectation that those organisations which shape and steward cricket also reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. The Club’s own membership has evolved more gradually, influenced in part by structural factors such as the length of the waiting list, the structure of membership pathways and the need to balance fairness for existing candidates. These all contribute to the complexity of the issue. 

The consultation therefore provides an opportunity to consider how MCC can continue to reflect the modern game while remaining true to its traditions and governance. As with all such matters, any future decisions will follow careful consideration of Member feedback and ultimately through Member agreement. 

The 2026 season represents a significant chapter for Lord’s, one that celebrates both heritage and progress. On the field, the growth of women’s cricket is bringing new audiences and new energy to the Home of Cricket. Off the field, the consultation reflects a commitment to listening, understanding and addressing a complex issue as the Club continues to evolve alongside the game.