ICC names host nations for annual women's tournaments

There will now be annual major cricket tournaments for women in a boost for the game, with a subcontinent dominated schedule that will not see Australia host a female tournament until at least 2029.

The International Cricket Council confirmed the next cycle of women's white-ball tournaments at its annual conference, taking place in Birmingham this week in the lead-up to cricket's return to the Commonwealth Games.

Bangladesh, India, England and Sri Lanka were each awarded events at Tuesday's meeting spanning the 2024-27 cycle, with the introduction of a women's T20 Champions Trophy tournament.

The ICC had previously announced host nations for men's ICC events through to 2031, and with Australia to co-host the men's T20 World Cup again in 2028 and the ICC's appetite to have separate men's and women's events, it will be at least 2029 before Australia can expect to host a global women's event again.

However,Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with women's cricket already confirmed to be played at event following its debut this week in Birmingham.

South Africa, as already agreed, will host the next women's T20 World Cup in February 2023, and the event will then be hosted by Bangladesh in September-October 2024.

It will be the second time Bangladesh has hosted a women's T20 World Cup with Australia winning the first event there in 2014.

India will stage the next 50-over women's World Cup in September-October 2025, while in mid-2026 England will host the women's T20 World Cup.

Australia are the defending World Cup champions in both events.

The inaugural Women's Champions Trophy is slated for Sri Lanka – subject to that nation qualifying for the new six-team tournament – in February 2027.

It will extend a run of successive annual women's events starting with this year's ODI World Cup held in New Zealand in April and won by Australia.

It was also announced the women's T20 finals will be expanded from 10 to 12 nations for 2026, meaning a total of 33 fixtures will be played, ten more than in 2024.

ICC chair Greg Barclay said: "Accelerating the growth of the women's game is one of the ICC's strategic priorities and taking these events to some of our sport's biggest markets give us a fantastic opportunity to do that and deepen its connection with cricket's one billion plus fans."

Away from the women's game, the ICC Board approved the future tours program (FTP) for men's and women's cricket that dictates the bilateral arrangement until 2027.

It has previously been reported this will see Border-Gavaskar Test series become five matches, but that will begin with the 2024-25 series in Australia and not the coming tour next February that will remain four Tests.

The ICC also confirmed Lord's will host the World Test Championship finals in 2023 and 2025.

New Zealand legend and current Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori has taken a seat on the ICC's men's cricket committee, along with former India star VVS Laxman, while the ICC will elect a new chair in November for a two-term.

Meanwhile, Cambodia, Cote D'Ivoire and Uzbekistan were awarded Associate Member status of the ICC, bringing membership of the governing body to 108 nations.

Women's ICC events

Feb 2023: T20 World Cup, South Africa*

Sep-Oct 2024: T20 World Cup, Bangladesh

Sep Oct 2025: ODI World Cup, India

June 2026: T20 World Cup, England

Feb 2027: T20 Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka

* previously announced

All confirmed ICC events

Oct-Nov 2022: Men's T20 World Cup, Australia

Feb 2023: Women's T20 World Cup, South Africa

June 2023: World Test Championship final, Lord's

Oct-Nov 2023: Men's ODI World Cup, India

June 2024: Men's T20 World Cup, USA & West Indies

Sep-Oct 2024: Women's T20 World Cup, Bangladesh

Feb-Mar 2025: Men's ODI Champions Trophy, Pakistan

June 2025: World Test Championship final, Lord's

Sep Oct 2025: Women's ODI World Cup, India

Feb-Mar 2026: Men's T20 World Cup, India & Sri Lanka

March 2026: Commonwealth Games, Victoria*

June 2026: Women's T20 World Cup, England

Feb 2027: Women's T20 Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka

2027: Men's ODI World Cup, South Africa, Zimbabwe & Namibia

2028: Men's T20 World Cup, Australia & New Zealand

2029: Men's ODI Champions Trophy, India

2030: Men's T20 World Cup, England

2031: Men's ODI World Cup, India & Bangladesh

* Not an ICC event but will feature women's tournament