Sri Lanka is set to lose the hosting rights for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in February 2027, with the six-team tournament expected to be moved to another venue.
The tournament will remain in the same February window, but is likely to be hosted by India. The new host is expected to be officially confirmed at the next ICC Board meeting in October.
Sri Lanka’s hosting rights are being withdrawn amid concerns over government interference in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The board is currently being administered by an interim body known as the Transformation Committee, which was appointed by the Sri Lankan government to oversee major reforms, including changes to SLC’s constitution.
The ICC does not recognise politically appointed cricket administrations, and SLC representatives have not attended ICC Board meetings since the Transformation Committee was appointed.
The change of venue could also have a major impact on the Sri Lanka women’s team. Sri Lanka qualified for the tournament because it was originally scheduled to be played in the country. However, qualification is limited to the top six teams in the ICC rankings, and Sri Lanka are currently ranked seventh.
Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa currently occupy the top five positions, while West Indies are sixth. If Sri Lanka fail to qualify, West Indies could take their place in the six-team tournament.
This would be the second time in three years that Sri Lanka have lost the hosting rights to an ICC event. In 2023, the 2024 Men’s Under-19 World Cup was moved from Sri Lanka to South Africa following similar concerns surrounding the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Meanwhile, the Transformation Committee has prepared a new constitution for SLC, which is expected to be presented to Parliament in the coming weeks.
The committee has said it hopes to hold SLC elections before the end of 2026, provided the parliamentary process proceeds smoothly.
