LONDON – The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the 2027 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final will be played at The Oval in London instead of the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The ICC said that the championship decider will take place from June 9 to June 13, 2027, at The Oval.
Last year, the ICC awarded England the hosting rights for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 World Test Championship finals. Under the hosting arrangement, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has the authority to select the venue for each edition.
Although Lord’s had widely been expected to host the 2027 final, following its staging of the most recent WTC final, the ECB opted to move the match to The Oval.
The reports suggest that concerns over the quality of the pitch at Lord’s played a significant role in the decision. Last month, the venue received its first-ever ICC demerit point after the pitch used for the Test match between England and New Zealand was rated “unsatisfactory” by the match referee.
The Oval will now host the World Test Championship Final for the second time. It previously staged the 2023 WTC Final, where Australia defeated India to claim the championship title.
The World Test Championship is the ICC’s premier competition for Test cricket, bringing together the top-ranked teams over a two-year cycle before culminating in a one-off final to determine the world champions.
The 2027 final is expected to attract thousands of spectators and a global television audience as the world’s leading Test sides compete for the coveted title.
