India could potentially lose its hosting rights for the 2029 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup following political and security disruptions during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly exploring Australia as an alternative venue to ensure tournament continuity.
Background of the Dispute
Under the hybrid-model agreement signed in December 2024 between the ICC, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), India and Pakistan are not to host each other’s matches in global tournaments. Neutral venues were to be arranged, such as Dubai for last year’s Champions Trophy and Sri Lanka co-hosting the recent T20 World Cup matches.
However, tensions escalated after BCCI removed Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL roster in January, prompting Bangladesh to request a shift of its World Cup matches from India due to security concerns. This request was not accommodated, leading to Bangladesh withdrawing from the tournament and angering Pakistan, which threatened to boycott a key India fixture.
The threatened boycott risked nearly USD 250 million in broadcast and commercial revenues. The India-Pakistan match eventually took place in Colombo, with India winning by 61 runs.
ICC Evaluates Future Contingency Plans
Reports suggest ICC administrators are exploring alternate host nations to avoid similar disruptions in future global tournaments. While India and Pakistan currently cannot host each other’s matches, the same approach could extend to Bangladesh if discussions between the BCCI and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) do not reach an agreement.
Australia is considered a prime candidate due to its previous successful hosting of India-Pakistan matches, including a 2015 ODI World Cup match in Adelaide with 41,587 spectators and a 2022 T20 World Cup clash at the MCG attended by 90,293 fans. The Australian time zone also aligns well with prime-time viewership in the subcontinent.
Implications
If tensions persist, the ICC may shift the 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 ODI World Cup—currently earmarked for India and Bangladesh—to Australia to protect scheduling certainty, broadcaster commitments, and global viewership.
This development underscores the challenges of hosting multinational tournaments amid political and regional sensitivities in cricket.
