‘An exciting new chapter for women’s cricket’ – ICC chairman Jay Shah expresses excitement ahead of inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy

The first-ever Women’s Champions Trophy will run from February 14 to 28, 2027, across two venues: the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Vadodara. The decision followed governance concerns that led to Sri Lanka being stripped of hosting rights. The tournament was originally scheduled for June to July 2027 but has been rescheduled to February 2027.

Six teams will compete in the inaugural edition: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The tournament will comprise 16 total matches in a round-robin league stage format, with the top two teams advancing to the final on February 28. This structure ensures every participating nation plays multiple matches before the knockout stage.

“As the inaugural edition of the tournament, it will bring together the best teams in the world in an intense, high-quality competition,” Shah told the ICC, highlighting the tournament’s role in providing greater incentive for teams to rise through the rankings and compete for a place on the global stage.

“With a marquee ICC women’s event now taking place every year, we have a significant opportunity to build greater momentum, provide more consistency and create a stronger rhythm for the women’s game, its players and its fans around the world,” he added.

India earned automatic entry as they are the hosts of the global event. On the other hand, the remaining six teams made the cut because of their ICC Women’s T20I Rankings as of the cut-off date.

Also Read: Sri Lanka secure automatic qualification for inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027

The top teams in Asian cricket are currently competing in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, which began on August 28 and will culminate on September 13. Eight teams have been split into two groups. India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates have been pitted in Group B. The much-anticipated India versus Pakistan clash is scheduled to be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, September 5.