India will host the first-ever ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, with the six-team tournament scheduled to take place from February 14 to 28, 2027.
The tournament was originally awarded to Sri Lanka, but the ICC has now moved the event to India following concerns over government involvement in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Despite losing the hosting rights, Sri Lanka will still compete in the tournament after securing qualification through the women’s T20I rankings.
Mumbai and Vadodara Selected as Host Cities
The inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy will be played at two venues in India: Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium.
The two venues will share the tournament’s matches, with the final scheduled for February 28.
Brabourne Stadium has not hosted an international match since December 2022, when India Women played Australia in a T20I series. The venue was later used during the Women’s Premier League, including matches in its first season in 2023 and again in 2025.
Vadodara has also become familiar with women’s cricket in recent years, having hosted Women’s Premier League matches in both 2025 and 2026.
Sri Lanka Loses Hosting Rights but Keeps Its Place
Sri Lanka’s removal as host does not affect its participation in the tournament.
The team qualified because it was among the top six sides in the ICC women’s T20I rankings at the qualification cut-off on July 6.
Sri Lanka will therefore travel to India as one of the six teams competing for the inaugural Champions Trophy title.
The other five teams are India, Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.
This gives Sri Lanka an interesting role in the competition. Although the country will not be able to host the event, its players will still have the opportunity to be part of the first edition of the tournament.
Why Was the Tournament Moved?
The main reason for the change is the current administrative situation surrounding Sri Lanka Cricket.
SLC is presently being run by an interim body known as the Transformation Committee, which was established by the Sri Lankan government. The committee has been tasked with overseeing major reforms within the cricket board, including changes to its constitution and governance structure.
However, the ICC does not recognise politically appointed cricket administrations.
Because of this situation, Sri Lanka was unable to continue as the host of the Women’s Champions Trophy.
The issue has also affected Sri Lanka’s involvement in ICC decision-making, with representatives from SLC not attending ICC Board meetings since the Transformation Committee was introduced.
ICC Assessed Three Possible Hosts
Once it became clear that Sri Lanka could no longer stage the tournament, the ICC considered alternative locations.
Three countries—Bangladesh, India and South Africa—were assessed using the ICC’s established criteria for hosting an international event.
Following that assessment, India was selected as the replacement host.
The decision gives the ICC a venue with significant experience in staging international cricket and major women’s competitions.
Six Teams, One Trophy
The inaugural tournament will feature six teams competing in a round-robin league format.
Every participating side will have the chance to face the other teams during the league stage. After the league matches are completed, the top two teams in the standings will advance to the final.
The championship match will be played on February 28, 2027.
With Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka involved, the tournament brings together several of the strongest teams in women’s T20 cricket.
India Set for Another Major Women’s Cricket Event
Hosting the Champions Trophy adds another major women’s cricket event to India’s growing list of international and domestic competitions.
India has already become an important destination for women’s cricket, with the Women’s Premier League helping establish venues such as Mumbai and Vadodara as regular locations for high-level women’s matches.
For Indian fans, the Champions Trophy will provide another chance to watch leading international players compete on home soil.
The tournament will also be particularly important for India’s own team. Playing in familiar conditions could give the hosts an advantage, although they will face tough competition from teams such as Australia, England and New Zealand.
A New Chapter for Women’s Cricket
The first Women’s Champions Trophy represents a new addition to the ICC women’s cricket calendar.
A dedicated six-team tournament provides another international title for teams to compete for and gives players an additional opportunity to perform on a global stage.
The round-robin format should also create plenty of meaningful matches because every league game can have an impact on the final standings.
For the ICC, successfully staging the inaugural edition will be an important step as it looks to give women’s cricket a more consistent schedule of major international competitions.
What to Expect in February 2027
The tournament will run for two weeks, beginning on February 14 and concluding with the final on February 28.
Mumbai and Vadodara will provide the backdrop for the competition, while six teams will battle through the league stage for two places in the final.
Although Sri Lanka has lost the opportunity to host the historic first edition, the team will still be part of the tournament.
For India, meanwhile, hosting the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy is another opportunity to showcase its growing role in international women’s cricket.
The first edition promises to be an important event for the women’s game, and attention will now turn towards the fixtures, squad selections and preparations for February 2027.
