England and Wales Cricket Board secure hosting rights for World Test Championship finals till 2031; check details
This decision, announced during ICC's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Singapore on July 20, 2025, confirms that ECB, which successfully hosted the previous three WTC finals in 2021, 2023, and 2025, will remain the epicenter of Test cricket's pinnacle event until 2031.
The ICC's decision to award hosting rights to the ECB for the next three WTC finals reflects confidence in their ability to manage high-profile cricket events.
'The 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,' the ICC stated.
2021, Southampton's Rose Bowl: New Zealand clinched the inaugural title, defeating India.
2023, The Oval, London: Australia triumphed over India, showcasing their dominance in the red-ball format.
2025, Lord's, London: South Africa claimed the title, overpowering Australia in a thrilling clash last month.
The ICC AGM also addressed other matters. The ICC welcomed the Timor Leste Cricket Federation and the Zambia Cricket Union as Associate Members, increasing its membership to 110.
USA Cricket was granted a three-month period to implement governance reforms, including conducting fair elections.
The ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) saw new appointments, with Mr. Gurumurthy Palani (France Cricket), Mr. Anuraag Bhatnagar (Cricket Hong Kong, China), and Mr. Gurdeep Klair (Cricket Canada) elected as Associate Member representatives.
The ICC outlined its initiative to support displaced women cricketers of Afghan descent, led by Deputy Chair Mr. Imran Khwaja in collaboration with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), ECB, and Cricket Australia (CA). These players will have opportunities to participate in ICC events, including the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup in England next year, alongside access to high-performance programs and domestic playing opportunities.
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