Credit: ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed the hosting rights of the next three World Test Championship (WTC) finals (2027, 2029, and 2031) to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The ECB have hosted all three WTC finals (2021, 2023, and 2025), thus far. This year, the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London hosted the third edition of the WTC final between South Africa and Australia. South Africa won the game by five wickets and the Protea side won their first ICC title after 27 years. Following the WTC 2023-25 final, Team India cricket fans were demanding ICC to move the red-ball tournament’s final to India.
ICC, in its press release, highlighted ECB’s successful hosting records to justify the decision. “The Board also confirmed the awarding of hosting rights for the ICC World Test Championship Finals for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 editions to the England and Wales Cricket Board, following a successful track record in hosting recent finals,” remarked the release. The decision was announced during ICC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Singapore on July 20.
WTC final venues from 2021 to 2025
From 2019 to 2025, three WTC finals have been played in which Team India and Australia recorded their presence twice, while New Zealand and South Africa have also made one appearance each. In 2019, Southampton’s Rose Bowl got the hosting rights of the final between New Zealand and India, in which the former emerged victorious by eight wickets.
In 2023, India qualified for the final again but this time, Australia displayed the dominant show and clinched a 209-run win at The Oval. This year, South Africa tasted success under Temba Bavuma’s leadership after beating the reigning champions Australia. In the current installment, the Aussie side are table toppers thus far, after winning three of their three matches.
