Iconic sports arrive at Heathrow Airport

In celebration of a momentous summer of sport in the UK this year, cricketing legends Phil Tufnell and Isa Guha exclusively revealed a giant replica Cricket World Cup trophy at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, starting on 30 May. This is the first of three exciting sporting tournaments that will see a rise in passengers welcomed to Europe’s largest airport. The Cricket World Cup kicks off the summer, with The Championships, Wimbledon and the Premier League continuing the celebrations.

For the next three months, passengers will have the unique opportunity to put themselves in the heart of sporting action. Innovative augmented reality pods will transport fans to iconic British sporting venues – from the renowned Lord’s Cricket Ground to the world-famous Wimbledon Centre Court. Cheered on by a roaring crowd, Heathrow travellers can lift famous sporting trophies, so they too can feel part of the summer of sport before jetting off on holiday.
As well as welcoming international athletes to the country, an estimated 11.5 million passengers are expected to arrive into the UK’s only hub airport this summer*, with many going on to attend sporting events all over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ross Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Heathrow said, “This is a momentous year as we welcome millions of people from around the world to celebrate a fantastic summer of sport. We wouldn’t want those travelling to miss out on any of the action, so we hope this partnership helps put our passengers straight into the action, no matter where they are heading off to.”

Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said, “With 1.5 billion people expected to watch the tournament, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It is fantastic that the tournament is returning to England and Wales and will help promote the best of our nation on the global stage.

“The UK has consistently delivered successful major sports events and our world-leading sporting institutions, such as the Premier League, inspiring billions of people every year. Our sporting prowess is a key driver of tourism – bringing investment into our economy and supporting jobs. This partnership will give passengers an exciting glimpse into the summer of sport ahead.”

Conrad Bird CBE, Director of the GREAT Britain campaign said, “We can’t wait to welcome the world’s sports fans this summer. Watching, playing and celebrating sport is at the heart of British life with global sports such as football, cricket and tennis invented or codified in the UK. Iconic tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup, The Championships, Wimbledon and the Premier League are exactly what the GREAT campaign is here to promote, showcasing the best of the UK to the world, encouraging people to visit, study and do business here.”

Steve Elworthy MBE, Managing Director of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, said: “We are delighted to unveil our giant replica Cricket World Cup trophy at Heathrow, which will also be on show for fans at selected events during the tournament this summer. We’re expecting to welcome over 100,000 fans from overseas for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from more than 120 countries, with many of those fans landing at Heathrow. The UK has a long and rich history of delivering amazing global sporting events and we’re proud to be given the opportunity to carry on that tradition with the Cricket World Cup across England and Wales this summer.”

Full information about activity at Heathrow this summer is available at www.heathrow.com/sport, including a competition to win tickets to the England v Australia Cricket World Cup match on 25th June, details of where passengers can watch the matches before they fly and returning restaurant offers, ‘Kids Eat Free’ and ‘Beer & Burgers’.