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The six-team competition, scheduled from February 14 to 28 next year, will now be played elsewhere. The identity of the replacement host has not yet been decided, with the matter likely to be settled when the ICC Board next meets.

The development comes amid continued scrutiny over the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket, which is currently being run by a government-appointed Transformation Committee. The arrangement has put SLC at odds with the ICC's long-standing requirement that its member boards operate independently and without government interference.

Prakash Shaffter, Secretary of the SLC Transformation Committee, confirmed that Sri Lanka had lost the tournament while speaking to the Sunday Times. "Yes, it has been moved out of Sri Lanka," Shaffter said. "It will be played at another venue, but as of now, I am not sure where it will be played."

Another ICC tournament slips out of Sri Lanka's hands

The latest setback extends a difficult period for Sri Lankan cricket administration. The Transformation Committee has been overseeing proposed reforms to the structure and constitution of SLC, but the ICC has continued to push for elections and a return to an elected cricket board. SLC representatives have also not been allowed to participate in ICC Board meetings since the committee assumed control. At its July meetings, the ICC again stressed the need for elections to be conducted as soon as possible.

The loss of the Women's Champions Trophy could have consequences beyond prestige. Hosting a global ICC event brings teams, officials, broadcast crews and spectators into the country, creating revenue for the cricket board as well as businesses connected to travel, accommodation and tourism. There is also uncertainty over what the switch could mean for Sri Lanka's place in the competition itself.

The inaugural Women's Champions Trophy is set to feature six teams, with the original qualification plan involving the leading sides in the rankings alongside the host. Sri Lanka currently sit sixth in the rankings. A change of host could therefore complicate the qualification picture, particularly if the tournament is awarded to a nation outside the existing qualification positions. The ICC, however, has not announced any revised qualification mechanism, meaning Sri Lanka's tournament status remains unclear for now.

Sri Lanka have been here before. In 2023, the ICC suspended SLC over concerns surrounding government interference in the administration of the sport. Sri Lanka subsequently lost the 2024 ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup, with the tournament eventually staged in South Africa. The ICC has yet to officially announce Sri Lanka's removal as Women's Champions Trophy host or name the country that will take over the 2027 tournament.