ICC introduces Women’s Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka to host first edition in 2027

The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Monday, November 4, introduced a Women’s Champions Trophy in the Women’s Future Tour Programme (FTP) for 2025-29. Sri Lanka will host the inaugural edition in June-July 2027. The apex board intends to bring in one women’s global tournament every year to popularise women’s cricket.

The inclusion of the Champions Trophy means that there will be three women’s global events over a period of 12 months; the T20 World Cup in September 2028 and the Los Angeles Olympics in August 2028. Overall, there are five global events in the women’s game over the next five years, also including the T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2028, and two ODI World Cups in 2025 and 2029.

Recently, the T20 World Cup took place in the United Arab Emirates where Sophie Devine’s New Zealand won after beating Laura Wolvaardt’s South Africa in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. India are set to host the Women’s ODI World Cup next year.

In the 2025-29 cycle, 15 Women’s Tests will take place. In 2026, India will play three Tests against Australia, England and South Africa. West Indies will also return to playing Test cricket after 2004. They will face Australia (March-April 2026), England (April-May 2027) and South Africa (November-December 2028).

The Caribbean team last played in Tests back in 2003-04 against Pakistan, having only played 12 Women’s Tests in all.

It has also been learnt that the Women’s Premier League will take place in January-February from 2026. The ICC also added Zimbabwe as one of its members in the Women’s ODI Championship, increasing the number of teams from 10 to 11.

India and Pakistan will keep facing each other in ICC events as no bilateral series between the Asian giants have been scheduled in the new FTP.