Mumbai: The latest TAM Sports report on the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (WWC) 2025 reveals a landmark year for commercial advertising, with unprecedented growth in ad volumes, brand participation, and sectoral diversity. The study, which analysed commercial ad secondages during live match breaks across 31 matches, shows that WWC 2025 significantly outperformed the 2022 edition across all major parameters.
Ad Volumes Nearly Triple, Driven by India Matches
WWC 2025 witnessed a dramatic surge in advertising activity, with average ad volumes per match rising almost threefold compared to WWC 2022. India matches proved to be the biggest driver, recording a 3x jump in ad volumes, while even non-India matches grew by 57%. On a per-channel-per-match basis, the tournament delivered a strong 28% growth, underscoring the increasing commercial appeal of women’s cricket.
India vs South Africa Final Delivers Historic Highs
The India–South Africa final emerged as a blockbuster for advertisers, generating 23.5 times more ad volume than the final of the 2022 edition. Semifinal matches recorded an 8.6x spike, while league-stage matches saw a 77% increase, reflecting record-breaking viewership and advertiser enthusiasm throughout the tournament.
Major Expansion in Advertisers, Categories & Brands
The 2025 edition saw a substantial expansion in the advertising ecosystem:
- Categories: up from 14 to 36 (2.5x growth)
- Advertisers: up from 12 to 30 (2.8x growth)
- Brands: up from 19 to 54 (2.6x growth)
This surge illustrates a broader, more diverse brand interest in women’s cricket, with new categories emerging as significant contributors.
Fuel & Services Emerge as Leading Sectors
The top 5 sectors accounted for nearly 90% of ad volumes in 2025. While 2022 was dominated by Auto, Education, and E-commerce, WWC 2025 saw a shift led by:
- Fuel/Petroleum Products – 47%
- Services – 28%
- Banking/Finance/Investment – 8%
- Food & Beverages – 4%
- Personal Care/Hygiene – 3%
The prominence of Fuel/Petroleum Brands marks a major shift in advertiser dynamics for the tournament.
Petroleum Products & Digital Wallets Lead Categories
Category-wise, the top 5 segments contributed 80% of overall ad volumes.
The leading categories included:
- Corporate–Petroleum Products – 47%
- Ecom–Wallets – 22%
- Banking Services & Products – 5%
- Other Professional Services – 3%
- Smartphones – 3%
This indicates a growing tilt towards high-engagement digital-first and financial service categories.
Top Advertisers Dominate With Over 80% Share
In both 2022 and 2025, the top advertisers held more than 80% of total ad volumes.
The 2025 edition was led by:
- Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco) – 47%
- Google – 22%
- State Bank of India – 7%
- International Gemological Institute – 3%
- Samsung India Electronics – 3%
Google remains the only brand present in the top advertiser list across both years.
Brands Expand Dramatically, Led by Aramco and Google Pay
Top brands accounted for 78% of ad volumes in 2025 compared to 64% in 2022.
The leading brands for the latest edition include:
- Aramco – 47%
- Google Pay – 22%
- SBI – 4%
- IGI – 3%
- Rexona – 2%
Women’s Cricket Becomes a Commercial Powerhouse
The report highlights that WWC 2025 has become a milestone event for advertisers, with record-level engagement driven by India’s strong performance, rising viewership, and growing interest from diverse sectors. The extraordinary contribution of petroleum brands and the rise of digital wallet advertising underline shifting advertiser priorities.
Overall, the 2025 edition not only broke commercial advertising records but also cemented the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as one of the most attractive sporting properties for brands in India and globally.
