ICC report says ODI World Cup 2023 boosted India’s economy massively

Barring the November 19 heartbreak, the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 was a great cricketing experience for Indian fans. The Men in Blue dominated throughout the tournament, but unfortunately, could not clear the Australian hurdle in the final in Ahmedabad. 

The painful defeat pumped up the Indian squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup and, of course, their success tasted much sweeter. Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) in its financial report released on Wednesday (August 11) said that last year's ODI World Cup was good for India off the field as well.

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The 13th WC edition was the biggest Cricket World Cup ever, which generated an incredible economic impact of US$ 1.39 billion (Rs 11,637 crore) on the Indian economy. The ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invested heavily in organising the event between October 5 and November 19 across 10 cities.

"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 has demonstrated the significant economic power of cricket, generating economic benefit of USD1.39 billion for India. The event created thousands of jobs and showcased India as a premier tourist destination, proving that ICC events not only engage fans passionately but also contribute significantly to the economies of our host nations," ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said.

Tourism tops major contributor’s list

The report revealed that tourism was the largest contributor to India's economic impact. This aspect alone generated $861.4 million in revenue.

"The impact of tourism across the host cities amounted to USD 861.4 million of revenue generation, through accommodation, travel, transportation and food and beverage because of a massive influx of domestic and foreign tourists attending the matches," read an ICC statement.

Meanwhile, a record-breaking 1.25 million spectators attended the event, making it the most attended World Cup in cricketing history. 19% of international cricket fans made their first visit to India during the 2023 World Cup.

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