India will host the first-ever ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, with the landmark six-team tournament set to take place from February 14 to 28, 2027. Mumbai’s Cricket Club of India and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will stage the matches, bringing together Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The teams will play a round-robin league, with the top two advancing to the final. The tournament was originally scheduled for Sri Lanka but was moved to India after the ICC assessed Bangladesh, India and South Africa as potential replacement hosts. 

ICC Chairman Jay Shah welcomed the move, calling it an important moment for the women’s game. “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.” He added, “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.”

ICC shifts Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 inaugural season from Sri Lanka as hosts 

The ICC has removed Sri Lanka as the host of the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy 2027, with the tournament set to be shifted to another venue. The decision comes amid concerns over government involvement in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The board is currently being run by a government-appointed Transformation Committee, which was formed to oversee reforms, including changes to SLC’s constitution and governance structure. The ICC has not recognised the interim administration, creating complications around Sri Lanka’s hosting rights. 

The situation was explained in the report through the ICC’s stance and comments from SLC officials. “The ICC does not recognise politically appointed interim administrations and has refused to allow SLC representatives to attend ICC Board meetings since the Transformation Committee took over,” the report said. Confirming the change, SLC Transformation Committee secretary Prakash Shaffter said, “Yes, it has been moved out of Sri Lanka. It will be played at another venue, but as of now, I am not sure where it will be played.” The move could also hurt Sri Lanka’s chances of featuring in the six-team tournament. The event was originally planned to include the top five ranked teams along with the host nation, while Sri Lanka are currently ranked sixth, making their participation dependent on the final qualification criteria.