Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially chosen the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue for the upcoming Champions Trophy, according to PCB spokesperson Amir Mir. This decision was made after a meeting between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. As a result, India and Pakistan’s Champions Trophy matches will now be held in the UAE.
Pakistan will not play in India in ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle. Pakistan will also go to a neutral venue when India hosts the 2025 Women’s World Cup and co-hosts the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka.
India has three group-stage games in the 2025 Champions Trophy, including one against Pakistan. Depending on India’s progress at the tournament, the UAE will also host one of the semifinals and the final.
The latest statement paves the way for the ICC to announce the schedule of the February-March tournament in the coming days.
Political tensions between Pakistan and India have prevented their teams from touring each other’s country since 2012, when Pakistan went to India for a bilateral one-day international series.
Both teams face each other regularly in ICC tournaments — Pakistan went to India last year for the men’s World Cup. But before the World Cup, India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and played all of its games in Sri Lanka