The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stripped Sri Lanka of the hosting rights for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy. They made the decision after continued concerns over government interference in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket, which is currently run by a state-appointed Transformation Committee.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from February 14 to 28, 2027, and will feature six teams in a T20I round-robin format. Australia, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa will join Sri Lanka in the inaugural edition, with all six teams set to compete for the first Women’s Champions Trophy title.
ICC Strips Sri Lanka of Women’s Champions Trophy Hosting Rights
Sri Lanka lost the hosting rights for the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy because of continued concerns over government involvement in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The committee is responsible for overseeing reforms at SLC, including proposed changes to its constitution and governance structure. Notably, the six-team tournament was scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka from February 14 to 28, 2027, but the ICC has decided to move it to another country.
The ICC has also prevented SLC representatives from attending its Board meetings since the Transformation Committee took charge. However, the ICC has not yet publicly announced the new host or officially confirmed all details surrounding the relocation.
Sri Lanka Cricket Confirms Women’s Champions Trophy Relocation
SLC Transformation Committee Secretary Prakash Shaffter confirmed that the tournament will no longer take place in Sri Lanka. He said that the event would move to another venue, although the replacement host has not been decided yet.
“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,” Shaffter told the Sunday Times.
The ICC is expected to decide on the new host country at its next Board meeting. The tournament was originally scheduled for June and July 2027 but was moved forward to February to create a better window in the international calendar.
The inaugural competition will feature six teams in a T20I round-robin format. Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa are among the confirmed teams, while Sri Lanka's participation now faces uncertainty after losing its hosting status.
Sri Lanka Faces Qualification Risk After Losing Hosting Rights
The change of host could also affect Sri Lanka's place in the inaugural tournament. The competition is expected to feature the top five ranked teams along with the host nation. Sri Lanka are currently at sixth in the world rankings, and their qualification could depend on the ranking of the new host.
If the replacement host is ranked outside the current top five, Sri Lanka could lose the automatic place it would have received as the original host. The situation adds further uncertainty to the team's participation in the tournament.
The loss of hosting rights could also create financial problems for SLC and Sri Lanka. The country could miss revenue from visiting teams, match officials, broadcasters, spectators, and tourism-related activities during the tournament.
Sri Lanka previously faced a similar setback in 2023 when the ICC suspended SLC over government interference. The 2024 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup was subsequently moved from Sri Lanka to South Africa.
