India to host inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027

India will stage the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027, with the tournament running from February 14 to February 28, 2027. The ICC Board ratified India as the replacement host on September 1, 2026, following an assessment of three candidate nations.

The event had originally been awarded to Sri Lanka. It was relocated after Sri Lanka Cricket continued reforms that were outlined at the ICC Annual Conference in July. Before recommending India to the Board, the ICC evaluated Bangladesh, India, and South Africa as potential replacement hosts. Sri Lanka will remain part of the competition as a participating team.

Two venues will stage the matches, the Cricket Club of India ground in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. The ICC confirmed the venues and dates on September 2, 2026.

Which teams will compete and how will the tournament be structured?

Six nations will take part, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The competition will be played in T20I format, with every side facing each other once during a round-robin league stage. The two teams finishing at the top of the standings will meet in the final, scheduled for February 28, 2027.

The field carries considerable pedigree. India hold the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title, while Australia reclaimed the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in July 2026 in England, making both sides among the most prominent contenders heading into the tournament.

What did ICC Chairman Jay Shah say about the new tournament?

ICC Chairman Jay Shah underlined the broader significance of the event for the women’s game in a statement released by the ICC on September 2, 2026.

“The ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 marks an exciting new chapter for women’s cricket. As the inaugural edition of the tournament, it will bring together the best teams in the world in an intense, high-quality competition, while creating even greater incentive for teams to continue rising through the rankings and competing 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.” Shah said as quoted by ICC.