The following eight teams have qualified for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan:
- Pakistan: Hosts
- India: Top 2 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- South Africa: Top 2 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- Australia: Top 3 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- New Zealand: Top 4 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- England: Top 5 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- Bangladesh: Top 6 ranked team in ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
- Afghanistan: Top 8 ranked team in the ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023
The 2025 Champions Trophy will be a 50-over tournament featuring the top eight ranked teams in the world as of 30 September 2023. The tournament will be played in Pakistan from 16 October to 29 October 2025.
The qualification criteria for the 2025 Champions Trophy were announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in March 2023. The criteria were based on the ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023.
Table of Contents
The top two ranked teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of 30 September 2023 will automatically qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The next three ranked teams will also automatically qualify unless they are from the same continent as the hosts. If this is the case, then the next ranked team from a different continent will qualify instead.
The remaining four spots in the 2025 Champions Trophy will be filled by the winners of four qualifying tournaments. These qualifying tournaments will be played in 2024, with two tournaments played in each of the two ICC regions (Asia and Rest of the World).
The 2025 Champions Trophy is shaping up to be a very exciting tournament, with the top eight teams in the world competing for the title. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
Here is the proposed 2025 Champions Trophy schedule in Pakistan, according to ICC:
- Group Stage: 16-25 October 2025
- Semi-finals: 27-28 October 2025
- Final: 29 October 2025
Matches will be played in the following cities across Pakistan:
- Karachi: National Stadium & Karachi Cricket Club
- Lahore: Gaddafi Stadium & Punjab Cricket Association Stadium
- Multan: Multan Cricket Stadium
- Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Here is a sample group stage schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy:
| Match | Date | Time (Local) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A – Match 1 | 16 October 2025 | 14:00 | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Group B – Match 1 | 16 October 2025 | 19:00 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Group A – Match 2 | 17 October 2025 | 14:00 | Karachi Cricket Club, Karachi |
| Group B – Match 2 | 17 October 2025 | 19:00 | Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Lahore |
| Group A – Match 3 | 19 October 2025 | 14:00 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi |
| Group B – Match 3 | 19 October 2025 | 19:00 | Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan |
| Group A – Match 4 | 21 October 2025 | 14:00 | National Stadium, Karachi |
| Group B – Match 4 | 21 October 2025 | 19:00 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Group A – Match 5 | 23 October 2025 | 14:00 | Karachi Cricket Club, Karachi |
| Group B – Match 5 | 23 October 2025 | 19:00 | Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Lahore |
| Group A – Match 6 | 25 October 2025 | 14:00 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi |
| Group B – Match 6 | 25 October 2025 | 19:00 | Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan |
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be played on October 27 and 28. The final will be played on October 29.
This is just a proposed schedule, and the actual schedule may be subject to change.
Subplot in the 2023 World Cup
The 2023 World Cup had an interesting subplot that added a late twist after the halfway mark. As the tournament entered the latter half of the group stage, it emerged that there was a lot more at stake than just a spot in the semi-finals. Unlike the 2019 edition where some teams that were not in the race for the last four lost steam, this time all sides had a major incentive to keep fighting.
This was because the top six teams in the group stage would qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is a major ICC tournament. As a result, even teams that were struggling in the group stage continued to play hard, as they knew that a top-six finish could mean a spot in the Champions Trophy.
This subplot added a lot of excitement to the latter half of the World Cup group stage, as every match became a must-win for the teams involved. In the end, it was the following eight teams that qualified for the 2025 Champions Trophy:
- Pakistan (hosts)
- India
- South Africa
- Australia
- New Zealand
- England
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
Analysis
The qualification of Afghanistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy is a particularly notable achievement. Afghanistan is a relatively new team to international cricket, and it has only recently started to challenge the top teams in the world. However, Afghanistan’s performance in the 2023 World Cup was very impressive, and it showed that the team is now ready to compete at the highest level.
The qualification of Bangladesh for the 2025 Champions Trophy is also a significant achievement. Bangladesh has been a consistent performer in international cricket in recent years, but it has never qualified for the Champions Trophy before. Bangladesh’s qualification is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication, and it is sure to inspire other cricket-playing nations in Asia.
The 2025 Champions Trophy is shaping up to be a very exciting tournament, with eight of the best teams in the world competing for the title. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.