India frontrunner to host inaugural Women's Champions Trophy after Sri Lanka loses rights

India has emerged as the leading candidate to host the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy after Sri Lanka was stripped of the event, which is scheduled to be played from February 14 to 28, 2027.

Sri Lanka had originally been awarded hosting rights as part of the ICC’s women’s global events cycle, but the tournament will now be staged elsewhere amid ongoing concerns about the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The ICC has yet to formally announce a replacement host, with India understood to be the frontrunner for the six-team T20 competition.

The change of venue follows a governance dispute between the ICC and SLC. A government-appointed Transformation Committee is currently overseeing SLC’s administration, a situation that has prompted ICC unease over government involvement in the running of the national board.

In July the ICC Board said it had noted progress towards a revised constitution for SLC but reiterated the need for elections to be held as soon as possible, and it confirmed that SLC would continue to be unable to be represented at ICC Board meetings for the time being.

Reports state that proposed constitutional changes for SLC still need to go through the required legal process before being presented to Parliament; that uncertainty is cited as a factor in Sri Lanka losing one of its major upcoming ICC hosting assignments.

The six-team T20 tournament forms part of the ICC’s expanded women’s cricket calendar and is expected to include Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the host nation.

India has been identified as the leading option to assume hosting duties. The country staged the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, and the BCCI is described as having an established network of international venues and infrastructure capable of accommodating a six-team tournament at short notice.

The development is another setback for Sri Lanka Cricket, which had been awarded the tournament through the ICC’s competitive hosting process, and it leaves the inaugural edition facing a venue change less than six months before the scheduled start.

The ICC is expected to confirm the replacement host at a future Board meeting; until that confirmation, India remains the frontrunner rather than the confirmed venue.