ICC Champions Cup 2025: Groups, Fixtures, Schedule, Venues, Live on Sky Sports | Cricket news

The ICC Champions Trophy schedule has been announced ahead of the tournament’s much-awaited return in 2025.

The 50-over competition returns to the international calendar for the first time since 2017, with Pakistan staging a global cricket event for the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

The 2025 tournament is set to mirror the system used in 2017, with eight teams divided into two groups of four. Each team plays the others in its group once, after which the top two teams advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-final winners will contest the final on March 9 in Lahore, where they will compete for the Champions Trophy and a distinctive white jacket.

Defending champion and host Pakistan are in Group A alongside Bangladesh, India and New Zealand, which will play in the opening match of the tournament in Karachi on February 19.

The second group consists of Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa, with the first match seeing England take on old rivals Australia in Lahore on February 22 before an unmissable clash between Pakistan and India on February 23 in Dubai.

Where are the matches held?

Stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi will host matches in Pakistan, while India’s matches will be held in Dubai.

The neutral venue in the UAE was chosen after FIFA confirmed that all matches between Pakistan and India in ICC tournaments, both men’s and women’s, including next year’s Women’s World Cup, will be played at neutral venues until at least 2027.

Political tensions between the two countries have strained sporting relations, and India, the richest and most powerful cricketing nation, has not played a match in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.

As a result, India will play in Semi-Final 1 in Dubai if they qualify, with Pakistan set to play in Semi-Final 2 in Lahore if they qualify. The final, scheduled to be held in Lahore on March 9, will also be moved to the UAE if India qualifies.

What is the ICC Champions Cup?

A mini World Cup for the Over-50s, basically.

While the World Cup is arguably bloated – the 2023 edition took more than six weeks to complete – the Champions Trophy is short and sharp, completed in around two weeks.

Pakistan are the defending champions after defeating major rivals India in the final at Kia Oval six years ago, while India and Australia have won the most titles with two each.

ICC Champions Trophy Schedule

Group A

• February 19: Pakistan vs New Zealand (Karachi).
• February 20: Bangladesh vs India (Dubai)
• February 23: Pakistan vs India (Dubai)
• February 24: Bangladesh vs New Zealand (Rawalpindi)
• February 27: Pakistan vs Bangladesh (Rawalpindi)
• March 2: New Zealand vs India (Dubai)

Group B

• February 21: Afghanistan vs. South Africa (Karachi).
• February 22: Australia vs England (Lahore).
• February 25: Australia vs. South Africa (Rawalpindi)
• February 26: Afghanistan vs. England (Lahore).
• February 28: Afghanistan vs. Australia (Lahore).
• March 1: South Africa vs. England (Karachi).

Semi-final

• March 4: Semi-Final 1, A1 vs. B2 (Dubai)
• Mar 5: Semi-final 2, A2 v B1 (Lahore)

last

• March 9: Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs Winner of Semi-Final 2 (Lahore)

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