India to host inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in February 2027

India will host the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy from February 14 to 28, 2027, with Mumbai and Vadodara selected as venues for the landmark six-team tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday. The competition, to be played in the T20I format, will feature India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. All matches will be staged at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. The six teams qualified on the basis of their positions in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings at the July 6 cut-off. They will compete in a round-robin league, with each side facing the other five once before the top two teams advance to the final on February 28.

India replaces Sri Lanka

The tournament was originally scheduled to be staged in Sri Lanka, but the ICC shifted it to India as Sri Lanka Cricket continues to undertake reforms outlined at the governing body's Annual Conference in July. The ICC evaluated India, Bangladesh and South Africa as potential replacement hosts using its established criteria before recommending India. The proposal was subsequently ratified by the ICC Board.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah described the inaugural tournament as an important new chapter for the women’s game, saying it would bring together leading teams in a high-quality competition while giving sides greater incentive to climb the international rankings. “With a marquee ICC women’s event now taking place every year, we have a significant opportunity to build greater momentum, provide more consistency and create a stronger rhythm for the women’s game, its players and its fans around the world,” Shah said.

Six teams chase inaugural title

The Women’s Champions Trophy will add another major global tournament to the expanding women’s cricket calendar. Unlike the men's Champions Trophy, which is played in the 50-over format, the inaugural women's competition will be contested as a T20I event.

India will enter the tournament as the reigning Women’s ODI World Cup champions, having lifted the title on home soil in 2025, while Australia will arrive as the reigning Women’s T20 World Cup champions. The full match schedule and ticketing details will be announced later, the ICC said.