Cricket fans unable to get their hands on tickets for Trent Bridge World Cup matches this summer are invited to join the fun and action at a city centre Fanzone.

Thousands of new and existing cricket fans have the opportunity to get up close to international cricket action as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup visits Nottingham this month and next. Tickets have proved extremely popular at Trent Bridge but there is an alternative venue to come and soak up the atmosphere and to enjoy the action in the Fanzone that will be created in the Old Market Square.

Cricket World Cup 2019 will be using the Old Market Square to host the first CWC19 Fanzone of the tournament, giving the people of Nottingham the opportunity to interact with the event outside of Trent Bridge itself. The Fanzone will run from Thursday 30 May to Sunday 2 June, taking four days to build and one day to de-rig before heading onto the next location.

The Fanzone will be open from 10am-8pm each day, except on Saturday when it will remain open until 10.30pm. The site will not be fenced or ticketed, providing an open, welcoming environment for the community.

Besides watching the action, visitors to the Fanzone will be able to enjoy a range of entertainment with relaxation areas and refreshment options. There will be a bar area with a view of the large screen, and a stage area with local acts performing. There will also be a DJ onsite. Those wanting to grab a Cricket World Cup souvenir can buy from the merchandise area. There will be an information point too, so people can find out about the tournament, how to get involved in cricket, or about other attractions and events in the city.

The Fanzone will include:

  • A large screen to show matches
  • A bar, retail and information point
  • Flexible seating and general entertainment
  • Beyond the Boundary – Cricket activations for people to get involved including Street Cricket and drop in sessions. Other activity stations will focus on separate skills – with fun games based around batting, bowling, throwing and catching
  • There is a full programme of Street Cricket sessions run by the team from Trent Bridge. There is no ticketing system so it is advised that fans check the schedules in advance and use the www.whatsonnottingham.com website to plan their visit for particular sessions.

The large screen in the Nottingham Fanzone will show the following matches:

  • Thursday 30 May- England v South Africa 10.30am
  • Fri 31 May – West Indies v Pakistan, 10.30am
  • Sat 1 June – NZ v Sri Lanka, 10.30am
  • Sat 1 June – Afghan v Australia, 1.30pm
  • Sun 2 June – South Africa v Bangladesh, 10.30am.

All the latest Fanzone activities and events news will be listed at www.whatsonnottingham.com, alongside other Cricket World Cup related events in the city.

Hugh White, Director of Sport at Nottingham City Council said: “We’re really excited to be welcoming the Cricket World Cup to Nottingham and very proud to be the first and the largest Fanzone of the tournament, right in the heart of the city.

“This is a great opportunity for people without tickets to watch and experience the World Cup and also to have a go at playing too!. There is something for everyone at the local Fanzone. Best of all, there are no tickets or registration needed, just show up! We look forward to seeing you and hope you take up the invite to be part of the world’s greatest cricket celebration with us.”

Further information
As a truly historic cricket ground, Trent Bridge will host five matches throughout the ICC Cricket World Cup. These include:
Friday 31 May                   West Indies v Pakistan
Monday 3 June                 England v Pakistan
Thursday 6 June               Australia v West Indies
Thursday 13 June             India v New Zealand
Thursday 20 June             Australia v Bangladesh

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