World Test Championship: England to host next three finals – ICC announces

The first WTC final in 2021 was held in biosecure conditions in Southampton, with New Zealand beating India.

The 2023 final at The Oval, where Australia beat India, was sold out, while the first four days at Lord’s this year were also sold out, with South Africa securing victory on day four.

England have yet to reach the WTC final and finished fifth in the 2023-25 cycle.

Gould said being awarded the next three finals was a “testament to the passion that fans in this country have for this treasured format of the game and the willingness of supporters from around the world to travel here for these games”.

He added: “Hosting these finals is a privilege, and we look forward to working with the ICC to build on the success of the previous editions.”

The ICC said its board also received an update on the support for Afghanistan women’s cricketers.

In April, the governing body announced a dedicated taskforce to support displaced female cricketers from Afghanistan, with the assistance of the ECB, Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Many of the Afghanistan’s leading players fled following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, with female participation in sport effectively outlawed.

The ICC said: “The programme aims to deliver structured support through high-performance initiatives, domestic playing opportunities, and engagement at key ICC global events, including the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England.”