City celebrations to deliver unforgettable ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 fan experience across England and Wales

Sent on behalf of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019:

• Official City Celebrations will take place in all ten ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 Host Cities and consist of free of charge city centre fan zones and public city activations

• The City Celebrations will provide an opportunity for members of the public across England and Wales and around the world to engage with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

• The fan zone in Leeds will be held on Millennium Square from 21-23 June

• Steve Elworthy: “We’ve seen from our ticket applications just how big the demand for this summer’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is and we are delighted to make the tournament more accessible than ever through the City Celebrations.”

This summer thousands of new and existing cricket fans will have the opportunity to get up close to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup action as all 10 world class host cities bring the tournament to life in iconic locations.

As the pinnacle competition of the 50 over format unfolds the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 will be visiting a city near you to bring fans closer to the action than ever before.

The ‘City Celebrations’ will consist of eight city centre fan zones (Nottingham, Taunton, Southampton, Manchester, Leeds, Durham, Birmingham and London) and two city activations (Cardiff and Bristol). The official public activations of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup provide the opportunity for fans to enjoy an authentic Cricket World Cup experience, watch the live broadcast of matches and celebrate the tournament action in a live setting together with thousands of passionate fans from across the globe.

England and Wales will be awash with Cricket World Cup fever this summer and the free-to-enter city centre fan zones will be the ultimate hub of Cricket World Cup action as tournament fixtures are shown live in iconic city centre locations. Along with cricket activities, a range of multi-cultural food, music and entertainment will be on offer as the fan zones provide a fun and safe environment for all fans.

Cardiff and Bristol will be hosting special city activations around their Cricket World Cup fixtures. Cardiff – in the form of ‘The Ultimate Delivery’ – will attempt a record-breaking catch relay, delivering an official match day ball through the city centre, passing by iconic landmarks and through thousands of hands before arriving at the Cardiff Wales Stadium for their opening fixture.

Meanwhile, in Bristol, the local community will be invited to ‘Take Part in Giant Art’ by picking up their paint brushes and helping paint a giant statue featuring flags and emblems of all ten competing nations, before seeing the structure erected in the city centre for the duration of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup fixtures in the city.

All Host Cities have played an integral part in the promotion of the tournament, which has contributed to record-breaking ticket sales and mass participation during the Trophy Tour. The ‘City Celebrations’ will offer another opportunity to connect with communities across the country and develop more excitement as the tournament unfolds.

Leader of Leeds City Council, Cllr Judith Blake, said:

“We are very proud that Leeds has been named as a host city for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, and cannot wait for the action to begin this summer.

“As part of this wonderful carnival of cricket, our iconic Headingley Stadium will be hosting four matches, and we are really looking forward to welcoming fans from across the world to our city. The fan zone on Millennium Square promises to be a fantastic way in which fans will be able to come together, have fun, and enjoy a range of entertainment and activities.”

Managing Director of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, Steve Elworthy, said:

"We’ve seen from our ticket applications just how big the demand for this summer’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is and we are delighted to make the tournament more accessible than ever through the City Celebrations.

"The British public always get behind global events and our City Celebrations allow fans up and down the country, as well as visiting fans, to come together to celebrate the Cricket World Cup, regardless of whether they’re attending a fixture or not.

"The support from our Host Cities has been phenomenal, and we’re delighted to be able to continue the strong partnerships with the ground-breaking fan engagement plan throughout the tournament."

Director of City & Spectator Experience at the ICC Cricket World Cup, Paul Smith, added:

"The City Celebrations will deliver a real party atmosphere, bringing the cultural melting pot of the UK to a mix of people from all over the world who are there to celebrate their love for cricket in a very relaxed and friendly way.

"The City Celebrations will be the perfect opportunity for each of our Host Cities to show the world their unique culture and friendly hospitality. These venues will serve as informal and joyful meeting points, from where I am sure fans will take some of their best memories from the amazing event we will host this summer."

Fan zone dates:

Nottingham (Old Market Square): 30 May-2 June

Taunton (Castle Green): 8-9 June

Southampton (Westquay): 14-16 June

Manchester (Cathedral Gardens): 14-16 June

Leeds (Millennium Square): 21-23 June

Durham (Millennium Square/Market Place): 28-30 June

Birmingham (Victoria Square): 28-30 June

London (Trafalgar Square)**: 12-14 July

*subject to local authority licence

** Live screening on 14^th July only

City activations dates:

Bristol (Millennium Square) - 25, 26, 27 May and 1 June.

Cardiff (Cardiff City Centre) - 31 May

For more information about the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, please click here.

ABOUT THE ICC MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP 2019

• The tournament will run from 30 May to 14 July. The semi-finals will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham on 9 and 11 July respectively, while Lord’s will host the final on 14 July.

• 11 venues across England and Wales will be used, namely Cardiff Wales Stadium in Cardiff (four matches), Bristol County Ground in Bristol (three matches), County Ground Taunton in Taunton (three matches), Edgbaston in Birmingham (five matches, including the second semi-final), Hampshire Bowl in Southampton (five matches), Headingley in Leeds (four matches), Lord’s in London (five matches, including the final), Old Trafford in Manchester (six matches, including the first semi-final), The Oval in London (five matches, including the tournament opener), The Riverside Durham in Chester-le-Street (three matches) and Trent Bridge in Nottingham (five matches)

• The 10 teams in the tournament will play against each other in a single-league format, with the top four sides after 45 matches to qualify for the two semi-finals

• England and Wales have previously staged ICC Cricket World Cups in 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1999

• Australia is the most successful team in the history of the World Cup, having won events in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015. The West Indies won the first two editions in 1975 and 1979, while India won in 1983 and 2011. Other winners are Pakistan in 1992 and Sri Lanka in 1996

FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT

Martin Gritton – Communications Manager, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

Mob: +44 7785 419 671

Email: martin.gritton@cwc19.co.uk