India Could Lose Champions Trophy 2029 & World Cup 2031 Hosting Rights to Australia
India’s stranglehold on hosting ICC tournaments is suddenly in jeopardy. According to a report from Australian outlet The Age, the International Cricket Council is actively considering relocating both the 2029 Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup from India to Australia. The reason is simple but explosive — the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, combined with Bangladesh’s recent exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2026, have created logistical and diplomatic chaos that the ICC cannot afford to repeat.
If a formal agreement is reached to extend the hybrid-model arrangement beyond 2027, both the 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 ODI World Cup could be moved out of India entirely. Australia, having successfully hosted the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, is the frontrunner to take over both tournaments.
Why Is the ICC Considering This Move
The current arrangement between India, Pakistan, and the ICC runs until 2027. Under this agreement, India and Pakistan do not play in each other’s countries during ICC events. Pakistan is currently playing all its T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka as co-hosts instead of India, following the hybrid model introduced during the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Here is the timeline of events that led to this breaking point:
- April 2025: The Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir escalates military tensions between India and Pakistan
- June 2025: India refuses to shake hands with Pakistan players during the Asia Cup — a symbolic protest that continues into the 2026 T20 World Cup
- January 2026: Bangladesh refuses to travel to India for the T20 World Cup, citing security concerns after the BCCI dropped Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders roster
- January 2026: The ICC rejects Bangladesh’s request to shift matches to Sri Lanka, with only the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) supporting Bangladesh’s stance
- January 24, 2026: Scotland replaces Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup — costing Bangladesh their spot
- February 15, 2026: Pakistan boycotts their Group A match against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup to show solidarity with Bangladesh
The Age also reported that ongoing friction between India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan has sparked discussions among cricket administrators, with the ICC reportedly preparing backup plans for global events if the situation doesn’t improve.
What Tournaments Could Shift to Australia
Here is what is at stake if the ICC follows through:
| Tournament | Original Host | Potential New Host | Scheduled Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 Champions Trophy | 🇮🇳 India | 🇦🇺 Australia | Oct–Nov 2029 |
| 2031 ODI World Cup | 🇮🇳 India + Bangladesh | 🇦🇺 Australia | Oct–Nov 2031 |
If both tournaments move, India would lose the hosting rights for two of the most commercially valuable cricket events in the cycle. India was originally allocated four World Cups between 2025 and 2031 as part of the ICC’s recognition of India as cricket’s key commercial driver. Losing two of these would be a massive financial and political blow for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
For fans tracking all the upcoming tournaments across formats, the complete ICC tournament schedule and details breaks down what’s coming next.
How the Hybrid Model Has Worked So Far
The hybrid model was first introduced for the 2025 Champions Trophy when India refused to travel to Pakistan. India’s group matches and semi-final were played in Dubai, with the final also moved to Dubai, while Pakistan hosted the rest of the tournament. India went on to win the tournament, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the final.
The same system is now being used for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Pakistan are playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, not India. Even their knockout fixtures — if they qualify — will be held in Colombo instead of Ahmedabad or Mumbai. This is the first time in T20 World Cup history that a participating team’s entire tournament schedule has been geographically shifted due to diplomatic restrictions.
But here is where the system breaks down: if India continues refusing to host Pakistan, and if Pakistan continues supporting other nations who refuse to play in India (like Bangladesh), then the hybrid model becomes too complicated to sustain for major tournaments. The ICC would rather move the entire event to a neutral country like Australia than deal with split-hosting arrangements every two years.
Australia’s Track Record as an ICC Event Host
Australia has hosted multiple ICC events and is considered one of the most reliable destinations for cricket tournaments:
- 2015 ODI World Cup (co-hosted with New Zealand) — Successfully held across both nations with no political incidents
- 2022 T20 World Cup — One of the best-organized tournaments in recent memory
- 2028 T20 World Cup (co-hosting with New Zealand) — Already confirmed
Australia’s cricket infrastructure is world-class. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), and Adelaide Oval are among the most iconic venues in the sport. The country has a proven ability to handle large-scale events, robust security systems, and a politically neutral relationship with every major cricketing nation.
If Australia takes over both the 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 World Cup, they would be hosting four ICC tournaments in seven years — the 2022 T20 WC, 2028 T20 WC, 2029 CT, and 2031 ODI WC.
What This Means for India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
For India: Losing two marquee hosting rights would be a diplomatic and financial disaster. India generates 70-80% of global cricket revenue through viewership, broadcast deals, and sponsorships. The BCCI would lose billions in potential earnings if these tournaments shift out.
For Pakistan: Pakistan might see this as validation that their stance on the hybrid model was justified. However, it also means they would not be hosting any ICC events themselves. Pakistan was originally scheduled to host the 2025 Champions Trophy — a plan that resulted in the hybrid model after India refused to travel.
For Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s exclusion from the 2026 T20 World Cup has already cost them dearly. Scotland replaced Bangladesh after the ICC formally rejected the BCB’s request to relocate matches to Sri Lanka. If this leads to the removal of India as a host nation entirely, Bangladesh may face long-term consequences in bilateral ties.
To follow the ongoing developments and live points standings during the current T20 World Cup 2026, visit the official points table tracker.
ICC’s Official Stance and What Happens Next
The ICC has not officially confirmed the shift yet. According to The Age, Australia has emerged as the frontrunner if the shift materializes, but no final decision has been made. The ICC Board will likely discuss this in the coming months, especially after the 2026 T20 World Cup concludes on March 8.
The next major decision point is whether the BCCI and PCB can agree on an extension of the hybrid-model arrangement beyond 2027. If they cannot, the ICC has three options:
- Move tournaments out of India entirely
- Ban one or both nations from participation (highly unlikely)
- Continue with split-venue hosting despite logistical nightmares
Option 1 is increasingly looking like the most viable path forward.
FAQs
Q: Why is India at risk of losing the 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 World Cup? Ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, combined with Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India, have created diplomatic complications that the ICC may solve by moving tournaments to neutral countries like Australia.
Q: Has the ICC officially confirmed the shift to Australia? No. The report is from Australian outlet The Age, and the ICC has not made an official announcement yet. Discussions are ongoing.
Q: When was the last time India hosted an ODI World Cup? India co-hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which Australia won by defeating India in the final at Ahmedabad.
Q: Will Pakistan play in India if the tournaments stay? No. Under the current hybrid-model agreement, Pakistan does not play matches in India, and India does not play matches in Pakistan during ICC events.
Q: What is Australia’s experience hosting ICC tournaments? Australia has successfully hosted the 2015 ODI World Cup (with New Zealand) and the 2022 T20 World Cup. They are also scheduled to co-host the 2028 T20 World Cup with New Zealand.
Q: What happens to the 2031 ODI World Cup if it shifts? The tournament was originally planned as a co-hosted event between India and Bangladesh. If shifted entirely to Australia, Bangladesh would also lose its hosting role.
