Dubai, July 22:Â The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that England will host the next three World Test Championship (WTC) finals in 2027, 2029, and 2031. This decision, announced during the ICCâs annual conference in Singapore, follows the successful staging of the WTC finals in 2021, 2023, and the upcoming 2025 edition, all held in England.In its official media release, the ICC stated: âThe Board also confirmed the awarding of hosting rights for the ICC World Test Championship Finals for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 editions to the England and Wales Cricket Board, following a successful track record in hosting recent finals.â
Despite growing calls from some quarters to rotate the venueâespecially to the home country of the defending championsâthe ICC has opted to stick with England as the host for the foreseeable future.
ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould expressed his delight at the announcement, saying: âWe are absolutely delighted that England and Wales has been chosen to host the next three ICC World Test Championship Finals. Itâs a testament to the passion that fans in this country have for this treasured format of the game and the willingness of supporters from around the world to travel here. Hosting these finals is a privilege, and we look forward to working with the ICC to build on the success of the previous editions.â
Alongside the WTC announcement, the ICC also made several key decisions at its annual meeting, including updates on the Afghanistan womenâs cricket initiative, the status of USA Cricket, and the inclusion of two new Member nations.