The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that England will host the next three World Test Championship finals, covering the 2027, 2029 and 2031 editions. The decision was made at the ICC's annual conference in Singapore, where the governing body cited England's successful track record in hosting recent finals.
All three previous finals have been held in England, most recently at Lord's in June 2025, where South Africa defeated Australia to claim their first title. Nearly 110,000 spectators attended the four-day match. Despite reports that India had been keen to stage the 2027 final, the ICC opted to continue with England as the host nation.
England's men's team have yet to reach a World Test Championship final, finishing fifth in the 2023-25 cycle. However, they were deducted 22 points for slow over-rates, the highest penalty among the nine teams; without those deductions, they would have placed third.
Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), expressed delight at the decision, calling it a testament to the passion of English fans and the willingness of supporters from around the world to travel for these games. He added that the ECB looks forward to working with the ICC to build on the success of previous editions.
Separately, the ICC provided an update on support for displaced women's cricketers from Afghanistan, many of whom were forced into exile after the Taliban returned to power in 2021. A task force formed in April, involving the ICC, ECB, Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia, aims to deliver structured support through high-performance initiatives, domestic playing opportunities and engagement at ICC events. It is understood that Afghan women cricketers, many living in Australia, could attend the 2025 50-over World Cup in India and the 2026 T20 World Cup in England.
