Champions Trophy 2025: India to play in UAE for Pakistan-hosted tournament next year

India will play their Champions Trophy matches in the United Arab Emirates next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed.

Earlier this month, it was decided both sides will play matches hosted by either country at neutral venues during the next rights cycle until 2027.

Political tensions between the two nations have led to strained sporting relations and India, cricket's richest and most powerful country, have not played a game in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.

Talks at International Cricket Council (ICC) board level had been ongoing since early November after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed them that their team would not travel to Pakistan, citing not being given permission by the Indian government to do so.

"India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue," the ICC board confirmed in a statement on Thursday December 19.

"This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 [hosted by Pakistan], set to be played in February and March 2025, as well as the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 [hosted by India] and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 [hosted by India and Sri Lanka].

"It was also announced that the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral-venue arrangements will also apply."

The ICC headquarters are based in the UAE where India and Pakistan will travel for their Champions Trophy matches.

Eight teams - Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa - are competing in the Champions Trophy, with the ICC confirming that the match schedule will be "confirmed soon".

Pakistan are staging a global cricket event for the first time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

The 50-over competition returns to the international calendar for the first time since Pakistan won the event in 2017.

Pakistan host West Indies in a two-Test series in January before a mini tri-nation ODI tournament with New Zealand and South Africa, scheduled to take place from February 8 ahead of the Champions Trophy later that month.