India to Host Inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027

India has officially been confirmed as the new host of the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, with the tournament set to be played from February 14 to February 28, 2027. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka but has now been shifted following concerns surrounding the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket.

The International Cricket Council confirmed that India was selected after Bangladesh, South Africa and India were assessed as potential replacement hosts. The ICC Board ratified India as the host on September 1, paving the way for the country to stage another major global women’s cricket event.

The inaugural edition of the Women’s Champions Trophy will be held across two venues. Mumbai’s historic Brabourne Stadium, operated by the Cricket Club of India, will host matches alongside the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Gujarat. The tournament will run for two weeks, with the final scheduled for February 28.

Sri Lanka lost the hosting rights due to government interference in the functioning of its cricket board. Sri Lanka Cricket is currently being overseen by a government-appointed Transformation Committee responsible for reforms to its constitutional and governance structure. ICC regulations do not permit politically appointed interim administrations to control member boards.

This is not the first time Sri Lanka has lost hosting rights for an ICC tournament. The country was previously stripped of the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, which was subsequently moved to South Africa. However, the ICC stated that Sri Lanka Cricket continues to work on the reforms required by the governing body.

Six teams will compete in the historic first edition of the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy: India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The competition will follow a round-robin format, ensuring every participating team has the opportunity to face the others before the final.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah described the tournament as an important step for the continued growth of women’s cricket. With a major ICC women’s event planned every year, the new competition is expected to create greater consistency and momentum for players, teams and fans worldwide.

For India, hosting the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy represents another significant opportunity to showcase the growing popularity and strength of women’s cricket on the global stage.