Dubai: The inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy cricket tournament will be held in India in 2027. Sri Lanka was originally awarded the hosting rights for the six-team competition, but the ICC withdrew the hosting rights from the country and handed them to India following the Sri Lankan government’s intervention in the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket. Although Sri Lanka is no longer the host, the team will still be able to travel to India for the tournament because it had already qualified by the July 6 cut-off date.
The T20 tournament, featuring India along with five other teams Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka — will begin on February 14, 2027, and conclude on February 28. After the round-robin stage, the top two teams will qualify for the final. The matches will be played at Brabourne Stadium in Churchgate and in Vadodara.
Brabourne last hosted an international match in December 2022, when India and Australia met in a women’s T20I. The iconic Mumbai venue also hosted matches during the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) season in 2023, as well as some matches of the 2025 season.
India emerged as the frontrunner among three contenders
After Sri Lanka was removed as the host for the February 2027 Women’s T20 Champions Trophy, India, Bangladesh and South Africa were in contention to stage the tournament. However, Bangladesh is not part of the tournament itself. Among the remaining contenders, India was ultimately chosen over South Africa to host the prestigious event.
A new chapter begins: Jay Shah
India hosted the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025 and went on to win the title. ICC Chairman Jay Shah described the launch of the Women’s Champions Trophy as the beginning of a new chapter for women’s cricket.
He said the Champions Trophy would bring the world’s best teams together on one platform and provide high-quality contests. The tournament will also give teams an opportunity to improve their rankings and raise their standing on the global stage.
With a major ICC women’s tournament now being staged almost every year, Shah said there is an opportunity not only to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket but also to maintain continuity and create a strong rhythm for women’s cricket, its players and their fans.