The International Cricket Council (ICC) has awarded England the hosting rights for the next three editions of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. The decision was made during the ICC’s Annual General Meeting, which concluded on Sunday. The finals for the upcoming WTC cycles in 2027, 2029, and 2031 will likely be held in June.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already successfully hosted the previous three WTC Finals — in Southampton (2021, India vs New Zealand), at The Oval in London (2023, India vs Australia), and most recently at Lord’s (2025, South Africa vs Australia).
India Misses Out on Hosting
The ICC dismissed speculation that the 2027 final could be shifted to India, citing ECB’s strong track record in hosting high-profile events. However, it remains undecided whether Lord’s will continue to be the primary venue in future editions.
In a press release, the ICC stated, “The England and Wales Cricket Board has been awarded the hosting rights for the next three ICC World Test Championship Finals. The first three finals were hosted at different venues in England, with the most recent one held last month between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s.”
The WTC schedule is designed around the English summer, when weather-related disruptions are minimal. Meanwhile, Australia’s cricket season runs from October to March, making England a more viable option for hosting.
ECB CEO Richard Gould said, “We are delighted that England and Wales have been chosen to host the next three ICC World Test Championship Finals. Hosting these finals is an honour, and we look forward to working closely with the ICC to build on the success of the previous editions.”
In India, Test cricket is not the most popular format in terms of live stadium attendance. If India does not qualify for the final, crowd turnout for matches between top Test-playing nations might still be very low.
Two New Associate Members
The ICC also welcomed two new Associate Members — the Timor Leste Cricket Federation and the Zambia Cricket Union — bringing its total membership count to 110.
Additionally, USA Cricket has been given a three-month extension to implement comprehensive administrative reforms, which include conducting independent and fair elections.
Among other announcements, Gurumurthi Palani (France Cricket), Anurag Bhatnagar (Cricket Hong Kong, China), and Gurdeep Clair (Cricket Canada) have been elected as Associate Member representatives to the ICC’s Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC).