Sri Lanka has lost the hosting rights for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided it could not proceed with the country while Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) remains under a government-appointed interim administration.
Colombo-based media reported today that the six-team tournament, scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka from February 14 to 28, 2027, has now been moved out of the country. An SLC official confirmed the decision.
“Yes, it has been moved out of Sri Lanka,” said Prakash Shaffter, Secretary of the SLC Transformation Committee.
“It will be played at another venue, but as of now, I am not sure where it will be played.”
A new host is likely to be decided at the next ICC Board meeting. The decision has raised concerns over the financial consequences for both SLC and Sri Lanka, while also putting the country’s participation in the tournament under potential threat.
Shaffter said SLC was “disappointed” with the ICC’s decision. SLC is currently being run by a government-appointed Transformation Committee, which was established to oversee reforms to the board, including changes to its constitution and governance structure.
The ICC does not recognise politically appointed interim administrations and has refused to allow SLC representatives to attend ICC Board meetings since the Transformation Committee took over. In July, the ICC said: “The ICC Board received an update on Sri Lanka Cricket and noted progress towards a revised Constitution. It reiterated the need for elections to be held as soon as possible and agreed that Sri Lanka Cricket would continue to be unable to be represented at ICC Board meetings for the time being.”
The Transformation Committee has completed a draft constitution and handed it over to the Sports Minister. The proposed changes must now go through the required legal process before being presented to Parliament. That process is unlikely to be completed quickly, leaving uncertainty over when SLC will return to an elected administration recognised by the ICC.
The dispute centres on the ICC’s longstanding requirement that cricket boards in its member countries remain free from government interference and operate through elected administrations. Sri Lanka’s current arrangement has therefore become a major issue not only for the governance of SLC but also for the country’s ability to host international cricket.
The loss of the Champions Trophy is expected to have wider financial consequences. An ICC tournament would have generated direct income for SLC while bringing teams, officials, broadcasters and spectators to Sri Lanka. Hotels, restaurants, transport companies and the wider tourism industry would also have benefited from increased visitor numbers and foreign exchange earnings.
Sri Lanka has faced a similar situation before. In 2023, the ICC stripped the country of the hosting rights for the 2024 Under-19 World Cup after the then Sports Minister dissolved the elected SLC administration and appointed an interim committee. The tournament was subsequently moved to South Africa.
The consequences could extend beyond hosting revenues. Sri Lanka’s women’s team could also miss the inaugural Champions Trophy. The six-team tournament is expected to feature the top five teams in the rankings alongside the host nation. Sri Lanka are currently ranked sixth. If the tournament is moved to a country outside the top six, Sri Lanka could therefore lose its place in the competition altogether.
That would leave Sri Lanka facing the loss of both the opportunity to host the first Women’s Champions Trophy and potentially the chance for its national women’s team to compete in it.
Although the tournament has been taken away from Sri Lanka, the ICC has yet to make an official public announcement confirming the decision or explaining the reasons for the change.
