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The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is set to return to India after 12 years, but not without a twist. While India is officially the host nation, political tensions have led to a hybrid model where Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka instead.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the complete schedule and venues for the tournament on Monday, confirming that the 13th edition of the women’s cricket World Cup will take place from September 30 to November 2, 2025, across selected cities in India and Sri Lanka.

Five venues have been finalized for this major tournament. Four are located in India —

• M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

• ACA Stadium, Guwahati

• Holkar Stadium, Indore

• ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam

The fifth venue, R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, will host matches involving Pakistan, as they have opted not to play on Indian soil.

The tournament will kick off on September 30 with host nation India playing the opening match in Bengaluru. Two semi-finals will take place on October 29 (in Guwahati or Colombo) and October 30 (in Bengaluru). The final is scheduled for November 2, likely in Bengaluru or Colombo, depending on which teams qualify.

The knockout venue allocations will depend on how Pakistan performs in the group stages. If they reach the semi-final or final, those matches are expected to be held in Colombo. This decision aligns with the precedent set earlier this year during the Champions Trophy, where a hybrid hosting model was implemented due to geopolitical concerns.

Pakistan earned their place in the World Cup by performing undefeated in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers held in April, where they won all five of their matches. Bangladesh also qualified and will join the other top-tier teams in the final eight.

A total of eight teams will compete in the Women's World Cup 2025:

• India (host)

• Australia (defending champion)

• England

• South Africa

• New Zealand

• Sri Lanka

• Bangladesh

• Pakistan

Australia, the reigning champion, defeated England in the 2022 Women’s World Cup final in New Zealand and enters the tournament as the most successful team in the history of women’s cricket, with seven World Cup titles to their name.

Initially, India was slated to be the sole host of the event. However, due to Pakistan’s refusal to travel to India, the ICC introduced Sri Lanka as a co-host to accommodate Pakistan's fixtures. This solution mirrors the hybrid hosting model approved earlier this year and demonstrates the ICC’s effort to ensure all teams can compete without diplomatic hindrances.

The matches have thus been distributed between India and Sri Lanka, with Colombo being a strategic addition to keep the tournament inclusive and politically neutral.