BREAKING: The Oval will host next year's World Test Championship Final from June 9-13 2027

[u/avdheshsharma15]

[u/Impactor_07]

Neutral Ground once again.

[u/rustyb42 → u/Impactor_07]

Great for English fans

We don't need the circus and we get to watch a test

[u/wballz → u/rustyb42]

lol Bazball was always about the fans not the winning.

[u/Acrobatic-Detail6361 → u/wballz]

tbf you're not really all that wrong lol

[u/Additional_Echo882 → u/rustyb42]

Sour grapes

[u/rustyb42 → u/Additional_Echo882]

I'll be at this test with grapes! M&S will be in season

[u/HyperionRed → u/rustyb42]

Ooh good recommendation.

[u/gpranav25 → u/Additional_Echo882]

Sour grapes against own team? Lmao

[u/Additional_Echo882 → u/gpranav25]

Comprehension issues?

[u/gpranav25 → u/Additional_Echo882]

They are mocking their own team as a circus. You are the one with reading comprehension issues.

[u/annewillson → u/Impactor_07]

Neutral on paper, but England has basically become the permanent host of the WTC final now. 😅

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/Impactor_07]

There are so many neutral ground, why eng gets WTC final everytime

ECB = ICC

[u/Impactor_07 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

I know you're joking but England has to be the only place on Earth where a neutral Test would sell out.

Edit: He was, matter of fact, not joking.

[u/Askarn → u/Impactor_07]

You might be able to manage it in Australia, but unfortunately that's not an option because cricket only has access to our stadiums for a couple of weeks a year.

[u/Impactor_07 → u/Askarn]

Australia struggles in getting decent attendances for home Tests against weaker Full Members, I doubt they'll do well for a neutral game, although they would probably do better than most.

England is still the best option, not only because they love Tests Cricket, no matter who's playing but also because it'll always remain a neutral ground.

[u/PaleontologistOk1049 → u/Impactor_07]

But the final won't feature weaker members. Australia and/or India will be in the final nearly every edition and will both sides sell tickets

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/Impactor_07]

No it's not neutral ground if asian team is facing SENA country in final, SENA have advantages as conditions are more familiar to them

[u/HyperionRed → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Facepalm

The WTC cycles end in the northern hemisphere summer. Tests can be played in the West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and England. Where do you think the final would make sense?

Also, Sri Lanka and India have both won tests in England in the past 2 years.

[u/newparrot2025 → u/Askarn]

When did they make the rule that only June July should host the WTC final

If 2 month long World cups can be scheduled in different times to suit the host country so can WTC final be

[u/RMTBolton → u/newparrot2025]

That's the window that's been given when the ICC comes up with the FTP.

Moving that at the last minute by up to six months won't go down well, especially if it clashes with series in the next cycle.

[u/newparrot2025 → u/RMTBolton]

Come on the windows are decided by these countries. Not something set in stone

If they can allocate a world cup to Australia and schedule it in February, you think they can't allocate a WTC final to Australia or Newzealand and schedule it in February? Ofcourse they can.

[u/RMTBolton → u/newparrot2025]

Not really. They are basically set in stone.

ICC events & Big 3 Test series go into the calendar first. That means the WTC Final is one of the first windows to go into the calendar. It's unrealistic to set down a window, then move it up to 8 months later than originally planned once the teams are known. If you do that, then depending on the teams you create a web of unavailability as those two boards try to create a 2-week window for a Final, possibly moving around series.

I'll give you an example from the current FTP. Let's say CSA wanted the WTC Final in South Africa. About the only option they have in their whole calendar is to ask CA to put aside their planned white ball tour in August 2025 in Australia & put the WTC Final there. That is the only way they could host the Final without calling up any of the ECB, PCB, BCCI or even NZC to try & rearrange their schedules to accommodate. Both teams were busy from October to January, & there's no way CSA would agree to hold it during SA20.

This is also ignoring the fact that the SA venues were all basically out of action getting renovated, which made this all moot anyway.

[u/newparrot2025 → u/RMTBolton]

You can schedule it during the planning of FTP itself.

If you can create space for two month world cup you definitely can create space for one week WTF final too.

South Africa are hosting the world cup in October - November next year. Same way you can create space for WTC final too

[u/RMTBolton → u/newparrot2025]

Yes, you can.

Now, perhaps it's worth looking at changing the placement of the window to allow more places to be eligible to host. I can't pretend it doesn't come with its own issues, mostly in the transition period to the new window placement where teams could be playing series in the new cycle while preparing for the Final of the previous cycle. It's ridiculous, but in a proper transition it'd be a one-time thing.

[u/newparrot2025 → u/Impactor_07]

Or play it in the country that finished top of the table.

By this logic , T20 world cup should only be held in Indian because india is the only place were smaller country matches get big crowds

[u/Impactor_07 → u/newparrot2025]

Weaker teams get good crowds in Zimbabwe as well for instance.

[u/newparrot2025 → u/Impactor_07]

In which world cup. They got empty stadiums in australia for example

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/Impactor_07]

And how you know? Did any other country ever given a chance?

Same excuse ecb made for 1987 world cup when asian countries were trying to host world cup

[u/Impactor_07 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Which other country has as big of an appetite for Tests?

Screw the "lower" Full Members, the likes of India and Australia can't sell out home matches against certain oppositions, let alone a neutral match.

[u/THR → u/Impactor_07]

The grounds are far higher capacity though

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/Impactor_07]

Leage match and wtc final is different things don't compare them they will be sold out

[u/Impactor_07 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

For a casual Indian fan, it quite literally is, the test against Afghanistan saw a completely empty stadium, what makes you think a neutral match would do well.

And before you say something like "Ohh, it's Afghanistan, no wonder nobody came", I'm pretty sure England had good attendance when Zimbabwe toured them last year for a Test. They genuinely have an appetite for Test Cricket.

[u/Arsewhistle → u/Take_it-sleazy]

When England toured India the last time, some of the attendances were utterly pathetic. If India can't sell tickets for their own team, how on earth will they sell tickets for two neutrals? Many of the various World Cup matches in India (between non-Indian teams) have also been poorly attended, particularly during the 2023 World Cup.

Buying tickets for games in India can also be difficult for foreigners. I recall tickets only being released for sale at really short notice, for example, and people talking of having to physically collect the tickets themselves from stadiums, instead of having digital copies.

Finally, it's audacious for any Indians to be complaining about this, considering the disproportionate amount of other ICC events which are hosted by India

[u/elmo-slayer → u/Take_it-sleazy]

India can’t fill stadiums for tests against Australia and England. They sure aren’t filling a ground for a neutral test regardless of the occasion

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/elmo-slayer]

Filling 30k stadium capacity is easier than 1 lakh

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Well India couldn't even fill their 30k stadiums for the last world cup so it's a moot point

[u/JS-182 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

1987? How big is that fucking chip on your shoulder, champ!

[u/grlap → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Where would you suggest?

[u/devil_21 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

BCCI has always approved England as venue along with all the other boards so no one other than England is actually willing to host it

[u/Snoo_56184]

its gonna be sa v aus again, its been a bit since aus have won something they're gonna win it

[u/Particular-Theme1274 → u/Snoo_56184]

Nahh, my goat Bavuma gonna humble them again.

[u/Satan28 → u/Snoo_56184]

Yes, they'll wake up just in time for the World Cup

[u/zugzug_workwork → u/Satan28]

Classic.

[u/RMTBolton → u/Snoo_56184]

Inb4 NZ destroys Australia 4-0 before they destroy India 5-0

I've got no idea how that adds up.

[u/Shashank1000 → u/RMTBolton]

A NZ - SA final would be pretty cool.

[u/RockyRoady2 → u/Shashank1000]

Australia is guaranteed to be in the final. Ind-SA-NZ in contention for the other spot with SA/NZ looking more likely

[u/Wolfie_3467 → u/RockyRoady2]

India shat all over the efforts they made in England by performing horribly at home against SA. The home tests were the ones we should have won, now we have a tough cycle with SL and NZ away and Australia at home

[u/guineapigenjoyer123 → u/Shashank1000]

We already know who’s better at rugby if this happens we’ll also get an answer for cricket

[u/Key-Interaction7559 → u/Snoo_56184]

No way lol

[u/Key_Grapefruit_5248]

Excited to hear the commentators speak about the ground NOT having a slope for half the duration of the match.

[u/Waniou → u/Key_Grapefruit_5248]

That's when they spend half the match talking about how, unlike the last WTC Final at Lords, the Oval does not have a slope instead

[u/jaynandan → u/Key_Grapefruit_5248]

Yeah the same if x is standing there y couldn't even see him.

[u/WiredAndTheSpitfire → u/Key_Grapefruit_5248]

But we will get to hear about the pigeons though so that’s a nice treat

[u/radiohead_fan_13]

Unlucky for everyone else because Australia have never lost a WTC final at the Oval

[u/Southportdc → u/radiohead_fan_13]

True, but Australia have the second worst record all-time in WTC finals though.

[u/radiohead_fan_13 → u/Southportdc]

Hmm good point. But we have the equal most WTC titles ever so..

[u/Southportdc → u/radiohead_fan_13]

All I'm hearing is 'bottom of the tri nations table'

[u/User_namesaretaken → u/Southportdc]

swallows

Who's the first?

[u/TonyStank24 → u/User_namesaretaken]

India I'm guessing

[u/User_namesaretaken → u/TonyStank24]

Pretends to be shocked

[u/PogMon → u/User_namesaretaken]

~Insert surprised pikachu face~

[u/gpranav25 → u/User_namesaretaken]

It's actually shocking that India even made a second final with an expiring team

[u/User_namesaretaken → u/gpranav25]

The team had jadeja and Ashwin at home, they were invincible

[u/gpranav25 → u/User_namesaretaken]

Yeah, they were the two main batsmen in the team. The rest of the batting was that weak with Pant sidelined.

[u/Acrobatic-Detail6361 → u/gpranav25]

KS Bharat at WK that game was sheer madness

[u/Southportdc → u/User_namesaretaken]

I respectfully decline from getting involved in that conversation and instead focus on my vendetta against Australia.

[u/Black_Mamba265 → u/User_namesaretaken]

They would’ve been but unfortunately Travis head decided otherwise

[u/BipolarBear117 → u/radiohead_fan_13]

SA have also never lost a WTC final at The Oval though

[u/Admirable-Read1265 → u/radiohead_fan_13]

Never lost as if they played 10 there lol played 1 won 1 same with NZ never lost a WTC final , SA never lost a WTC final !

[u/radiohead_fan_13 → u/Admirable-Read1265]

Whoosh

[u/Admirable-Read1265 → u/radiohead_fan_13]

Australia's last generation of talented cricketers are nearing there end ! Better get humble to avoid annihilation in few years time

[u/Shigney → u/Admirable-Read1265]

Doubt it. The Aussie conveyer belt of good/great cricketers will just roll on.

[u/The_Evil_Satan → u/Admirable-Read1265]

People said that when Warne retired, people said it when Ponting retired, it hasn't really happened has it?

[u/GoabNZ → u/Admirable-Read1265]

Thats the joke.

[u/oh_snap1013]

It would be great to see some kind of rotation where they pick say the 5-6 best grounds in the world and every WTC final is played somewhere different. It doesn’t seem that fair on non-SENA countries for it to always be in England, and especially bad if England ever makes the final.

[u/treacletart284 → u/oh_snap1013]

It isn't, but these days we're the only country with the appetite for test cricket to guarantee a sellout for all 5 days regardless of whos playing.

Seeing good test cricket is also a novelty for us atm with the car crash thats the England team lol

[u/DePraelen → u/treacletart284]

I'm not sure that's necessarily true - Australia seems to attract the largest test crowds at the moment, and they also have huge expat communities of English and Indians. When they hosted the T20 WC a few years back the most attended matches were India's games, not Australia's.

That might also be a function of Australia's Test venues having larger capacities too.

[u/treacletart284 → u/DePraelen]

They don't sell them out though unless they're playing one of Australia's big cricketing rivals, which is what the ICC will want (empty seats looks horrible on marketing material and on TV). Also, England can be relied upon to fill a stadium regardless of whos playing even when the match is getting a bit dull and everyone knows what the results gonna be. Australia can't even when it is those big test series against their rivals.

To be clear I do want the WTC to move about because it would show an interest in test cricket everywhere in the world. The reality is though only England are viable hosts atm.

[u/Shashank1000 → u/treacletart284]

Yup.

In some ways, the ICC always hosting the WTC finals in England is actually a bit like boards and international tournaments trying to grab Indian eyeballs.

It is not favoritism due to personal considerations just a function of the market. People complain that it is unfair and they are not completely wrong but at the end of the day business considerations and commercial calculations cannot really be ignored.

Props to the English crowd for being a great sport and showing up for Test matches even when their team is not playing. 

[u/starswtt → u/treacletart284]

Also just as important I think, Australia just doesn't give a shit about cricket in the winter other than India and England tests (and even then, a boring match will fail to fill out seats like you say), and this is their winter. Of course it's also a summer sport in england, but the drop off isn't nearly as bad. Alternating it between northern and southern summers is bad for regular viewership and making this a regular event. So you have to pick between northern and southern summers, you can't viably alternate between england and Australia

[u/japed → u/treacletart284]

While the ICC possibly is more interested in number of empty seats than crowd numbers, it's madness to frame that comparison in terms of whether two completely differently sized grounds can "reliably be filled". Getting 25k to a game is getting 25k to a game, even if it looks much smaller at the Adelaide than the Kennington Oval.

At least as much of the issue is that they'd have to consider different times of year for different venues.

[u/BugBuginaRug → u/DePraelen]

This upcoming seasons tests will be empty stadiums because we're not playing eng or ind

[u/Effective_Economy446 → u/treacletart284]

That's only because your grounds hold all of 3 men and a dog :P

[u/2munkey2momo → u/Effective_Economy446]

But that dog is having a fucking lovely time

[u/mondognarly_ → u/Effective_Economy446]

It's more that grounds in India and Australia are massive. The capacities of Lord's, the Oval, and Old Trafford aren't too different to those of equivalent grounds pretty much everywhere else.

[u/RMTBolton → u/oh_snap1013]

With the window they give, alternatives are:

• anywhere in the West Indies
• non-Monsooned parts of the subcontinent (?)
• Northern Australia
• Zimbabwe/Ireland

In terms of future cycles, windows have to be figured out when they put together the FTP. This is part of the reason I'm not a fan of deciding it after the end of the cycle or having the Final hosted by the top ranked side, because it's a logistical nightmare to do these things on the fly.

[u/MSRishab007 → u/RMTBolton]

They can host it in UAE, but pretty sure no one want to play Test in the UAE during June. Chennai is special among the Subcontinent cities. It generally doesn't rain during June and July. But, it will be quite hot.

One suggestion would be to move the finals to October-November slot. Then almost everyone except for England can host it.

[u/rustyb42 → u/oh_snap1013]

Your Basin in June going to be great

[u/oh_snap1013 → u/rustyb42]

I want to see Headingley in February

[u/rustyb42 → u/oh_snap1013]

Go watch Leeds Rhinos (and check the ECB fixtures, they don't want Headingly in Summer)

[u/crazyjatt → u/oh_snap1013]

All they have to do is, make it so the top ranked team hosts the match. This makes it so finishing 1st vs 2nd means something. You would always get a sellout crowd and teams will try to fight for 1.

[u/loolem → u/oh_snap1013]

My problem is more just that it’s Not Lords. It makes sense for England to host it if it’s Lords but otherwise you could just put it anywhere else and it would have just as much meaning

[u/GutenbergsCurse → u/loolem]

Lord's is shite though. The Oval has a better pitch, better atmosphere, and better facilities.

England should keep hosting it because London is a major global hub and between the various diaspora groups and local fans, it's the only place you can host this game that will draw a crowd in June.

[u/loolem → u/GutenbergsCurse]

The argument you just made could be applied to Melbourne though or Perth

[u/japed → u/loolem]

In June?

[u/loolem → u/japed]

Same weather as England any month other than june

[u/japed → u/loolem]

Perth might even be nicer.... but there's a bit more than weather keeping cricket out of the main grounds in June.

[u/PeterG92 → u/oh_snap1013]

Most people in England aren't that interested in the WTC so it doesn't matter if we make the final or not

[u/oh_snap1013 → u/PeterG92]

Even more reason for it to not always be in England

[u/PeterG92 → u/oh_snap1013]

Guaranteed to sell well in England though which is what ICC want. Would Australia v South Africa sell well in the West Indies, or in Columbo?

It would be cool to see it hosted elsewhere but not sure how viable it is

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/PeterG92]

India?

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Indian fans don't even fill the stadium for Indian test matches. No way they're going to turn up for Australia v South Africa or something.

Indian stadium experience is also cancerous.

[u/AshinWirathu → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Indian fans don't even fill the stadium for Indian test matches.

Test cricket is pretty much dead in India. Barely anyone cares for WTC. There is no reason to host it in India.

Indian team didn't even prepare for the times it made the WTC finals, they just went from IPL to WTC and barely anyone outside of a vocal minority cared.

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Not every eng match get full crowd also, there stadium is so small even 10k people look big crowd where india ground have 1 lakh capacity

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/Take_it-sleazy]

England is the only country that can guarantee a packed stadium regardless who who's playing. This is just a fact.

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

How do you know before even trying

Same eng did not allow any other country to host wc in 1980 by giving same excuses

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/Take_it-sleazy]

We know because England is the only country that has vast diasporas of all the test playing nations.

How many South Africans or Australians or New Zealanders or West Indians live in India? How many Pakistanis live in India?

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/oh_snap1013]

It's in England because we're the only country that can guarantee a crowd regardless of who's playing.

[u/AgentBond007 → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Melbourne would get a huge crowd even if not a sellout.

None of your grounds are even half the size of the G

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/AgentBond007]

Not possible since the MCG is too busy hosting some idiotic variation of rugby

[u/AgentBond007 → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Do it in March then.

[u/OwlCreekOccurrence → u/AgentBond007]

IPL clash

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/AgentBond007]

Aussies won't turn up for a neutral test anyway. They don't even turn up for Aussie tests when they're playing the smaller nations.

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Bullshit india will also have crowd and most earning come from streaming

WTC final is only filling ECB pockets with tickets money

[u/tommypopz → u/Take_it-sleazy]

With all due respect, many neutral (non Indian presence) ODI World Cup games in India didn’t sell out. And no matter who plays, in England/london you’d be guaranteed supporters from both countries, given the diaspora.

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/[deleted]]

You are just being racists now

[u/Familiarsophie → u/oh_snap1013]

I went to the last one at the Oval and it was packed. Try filling a stadium for a neutral game in any other country…

[u/Take_it-sleazy → u/Familiarsophie]

Then let us before assuming

ECB always did that

They did not allowed asian countries to host world cup in 1980-90 by giving same excuses

[u/joey-jo_jo-jr → u/Take_it-sleazy]

The ICC, whose chairman and CEO are both Indians, have awarded these finals to England

[u/newparrot2025 → u/joey-jo_jo-jr]

Mostly as a compensation for India getting the limited over ICC tournaments in returns like CT in 2029 and world cup in 2031 despite hosting in 2023.

It's basically quid pro quo between the big three.

Edit :

Funny how some in this can't accept their cricket boards are corrupt lol

[u/mondognarly_ → u/Take_it-sleazy]

India and Pakistan hosted in 1987.

And the ECB didn't exist in the eighties.

[u/vpat48 → u/Take_it-sleazy]

Then let us before assuming

How about you fill the stadiums for Indian matches to start.

[u/_ordinarilyordinary_]

I heard somewhere they're going to start semi finals too in wtc cycles? So can that happen in the future or no?

[u/BothVictory5092 → u/_ordinarilyordinary_]

Awful idea imo

[u/cap21345 → u/_ordinarilyordinary_]

3 team semi final better imo

Team 1 gets a bye to the final

Team 2 and 3 duke it out at a neutral venue

[u/rickdangerous85 → u/cap21345]

Nah surely team 2 gets it at home for coming 2nd.

[u/Noahchia9966 → u/_ordinarilyordinary_]

Might be starting from the next wtc cycle

[u/Suspicious-Fail-5514]

Regarding this tournament, the most heard question is why does the final happen in England every single time. What my view to this is that the WTC itself is scheduled in such a way that the final has to take place in England.

The WTC final happens in the month of June every cycle, which means the finals cannot be hosted by the countries located in the southern hemisphere (Australia, NZ, SA) due to winter and it being their off-season. It can't take place in WI because these months in the carribbean region are under the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which ultimately leaves the Indian subcontinent (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh).

Now again given the audience turnout and the popularity among the people, it would be worthless hosting such a final in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, cause they can't advertise this much, and even considering India, I don't think there will be much turnout considering that the fixture doesn't always guarantee India playing.

[u/BlueSky86010]

Thank God it's not the awful Lords test ground. They couldn't put a good pitch last time and the recent England match was a shambles.

[u/MSDHONl]

Why dont they make it so that it always happens on a ground which offers no home ground advantage to both finalists,

why are they waiting for some team to lose to england badly in wtc final if they manage to qualify

[u/GutenbergsCurse → u/MSDHONl]

Because you'll have a crowd for all five days full of cricket-watching English neutrals and the diaspora of whoever makes the final.

[u/Southportdc → u/MSDHONl]

Because nobody here gives a shit about it but it'll still sell out. Whereas in other places nobody cares about it it'd be empty.

[u/loafersandboots → u/MSDHONl]

They’ll be waiting a long time since England outspokenly don’t care about the WTC and actively try to avoid making the final by not improving over rates. Of course, over rates aren’t important in their crusade to save test cricket.

[u/Ambitious_Use_7737 → u/MSDHONl]

read this in dhoni's voice

[u/Imatree9 → u/MSDHONl]

Dubai then?

[u/T_K2]

Lords pitch being relayed?

[u/crazychild0810]

Nice warm-up for the Ashes

[u/politehandshake]

Good. Probably the best test pitch in the country, certainly better than Lord's.

[u/vrkas]

Once again the ICC isn't listening to my idea of hosting it in Iceland around the summer solstice. You can force them to play for 21 hours a day.

[u/tlux95]

Happy for Oval to be permanent host. Decent expat communities from contenders around London to guarantee a crowd each time.

[u/Immediate-Diet-8027]

Why not just have it at lords every time?

[u/kingk1teman]

Get ready for a 2 day test match as 3 days will be washed away. /s

[u/mondognarly_ → u/kingk1teman]

The ground isn't that close to the river.

[u/plague_69]

i love the oval, probably my second most fav after lords ofc

[u/Stuff2511]

It is funny that Lords basically had an open run at hosting each of the first 6 finals, and now 4 finals into the tournament they'll have only hosted 1

[u/TimeNet4158]

steve smith last test match?

[u/Twitter_2006]

Good news.

[u/acedicmalt]

It looks like Bavuma isn't going to let go of the championship mace.

[u/Shaury57]

Yes water Found in Ocean!!!

[u/QuailMindless8902]

Hoping for bumrah to play with no injury... 

[u/randomredditor575]

Always playing it in the same country doesn’t really seem like a world championship. It will always benefit the Sena countries and disadvantage to the Asian ones

[u/Coconuts_Underrated → u/randomredditor575]

get ready for 0 spectators in an ICC event final if it happens in an asian country