According to a media release, the ICC evaluated three candidates – Bangladesh, India and South Africa – according to the specified host evaluation criteria before recommending India as the alternative host on Wednesday.
The Brabourne Stadium has not hosted an international match since December 2022, when India Women hosted Australia in a T20I series. It hosted the first ever season of the WPL in 2023 and also some matches in 2025. Meanwhile, Vadodara hosted WPL matches in 2025 and 2026.
The Champions Trophy was scheduled to be the ICC’s second event in Sri Lanka in two years after they also co-hosted the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup with India. The six participating teams will compete in a round-robin league system, with the top two teams qualifying for the final on February 28.
The SLC is under an interim administration, called the Transformation Committee, which has been established by the Sri Lankan government and will oversee major changes to the board including changes to its constitution. The ICC does not recognize politically appointed administrations and SLC representatives have not attended ICC Board meetings since the establishment of the Transformation Commission.
