Lord's Cricket Club Fast-Tracks Women After 27-Year Wait

One of cricket's oldest and most exclusive clubs is ready to break with tradition to welcome more women through its doors.

The Marylebone Cricket Club, home to the legendary Lord's Cricket Ground since 1814, is considering fast-tracking memberships for women after nearly three decades of painfully slow progress. Currently, women make up just 3.2% of the club's full membership despite being allowed to join since 1998.

The numbers tell a stark story. At the current pace, it would take 35 years to reach the club's goal of 20% female membership. By accelerating applications for women, the MCC could hit that target in just 10 years.

The shift comes after a 2023 independent report identified the MCC as crucial to eliminating sexism from cricket. Sources inside the club called the gender imbalance "frankly ridiculous" and said it's time to "meet the issue head on."

But there's a practical reason too. With a 30-year waiting list for regular membership, the club recognizes that modern sports sponsors want to reach diverse audiences. The membership gap could cost the MCC future sponsorship revenue as companies seek partners that reflect their values.

The Ripple Effect

The change is already creating momentum beyond membership numbers. In 2024, applications from women wanting to become playing members jumped 77%. The club hired its first dedicated recruitment officer for women players and increased women's matches by 34%.

This summer, Lord's will host matches during the Women's T20 World Cup and stage its first women's Test match in the ground's 209-year history when England faces India in July. These firsts would have seemed impossible just years ago.

Any change requires approval from two-thirds of existing members, and the idea of adjusting the decades-long waiting list will likely face opposition. But club chair Mark Nicholas warned that staying relevant in modern cricket means the membership must reflect "the gender make-up of the wider cricketing community."

The club is consulting members through July, weighing several approaches including expanding overall membership, reforming how people join the waiting list, and growing the women's playing program.

After more than two centuries as a men's club and 27 years of glacial progress, Lord's is finally ready to move at cricket's fastest pace.