This summer’s Cricket World Cup will open with an eye-catching party on The Mall — right outside Buckingham Palace.
The night before England, the favourites to win the tournament, play the first match against South Africa at The Kia Oval on May 30, 4,000 people will pack onto The Mall for a “party” which seems set to involve a vast game of cricket and a host of current and former players.
It will take place between 5-6pm and be broadcast globally. The timing will be friendly for south Asia, cricket’s biggest market.
With the tournament beginning at 10.30am on a Thursday, organisers were reluctant to hold an opening ceremony per se, so sought an iconic London venue that would resonate with a world audience.
Months of meetings with the Royal Parks and London Safety Advisory Group (LSAG) culminated on Monday, with the event announced on Tuesday morning. The ballot for the 4,000 free public tickets will open on Thursday.
“The Mall, with Buckingham Palace in the background, is synonymous with some of the biggest events held in the UK and is instantly recognisable to everyone around the globe. It will be a fitting celebration of a World Cup, cricket and sport with diversity at its core,” said Steve Elworthy, the World Cup’s managing director.
Tournament organisers say the event will “be a mix of music, dance and some of the biggest names in sport with a winner-takes-all sporting competition”.
All this is in stark contrast the last time the World Cup was hosted here in 1999.
The opening ceremony took place in the rain, with Tony Blair giving a speech with a broken mic and a fireworks display let off in daylight.
