The ICC Champions Trophy is making its long-awaited return for the first time since 2017. The prestigious cricket tournament begins on February 19, with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand at Karachi’s National Stadium.
India will start their campaign in Dubai on February 20 against Bangladesh. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash will be on February 23. The two-time champions, the Men in Blue, lost to Pakistan by 180 runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
Unlike previous editions, where the top eight ODI teams automatically qualified, the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy selection was based on the 2023 Cricket World Cup standings.
Afghanistan made history by qualifying for the first time after an impressive World Cup campaign. They defeated England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, West Indies failed to qualify for the tournament.
The Champions Trophy format has remained unchanged since 2006. The eight teams are divided into two groups of four, each playing against the others in its group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, with the winners facing off in the final.
Here is how the two groups at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 look:
Group A: Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan
Group B: Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa
Champions Trophy 2025 Prize money
Eight teams are set to compete for a grand prize of $2.24 million ( ₹19.5 crore). The runners-up will earn $1.12 million ( ₹9.7 crore) while each semi-finalist will receive $560,000 ( ₹4.9 crore). The total prize pool has seen a significant 53% increase from the 2017 edition, reaching an impressive $6.9 million (nearly ₹60 crore).
The prize money for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy increased by $500,000 ( ₹4,3 crore at present rate) from the 2013 edition, reaching a total of $4.5 million ( ₹39 crore). The champion team received $2.2 million ( ₹19 crore), while the runner-up was awarded $1.1 million ( ₹8.5 crore). The two semifinalists took home $450,000 (nearly ₹4 crore) each.
Stay updated with all the action from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Check the Champions Trophy 2025 Schedule, track the latest Champions Trophy Points Table, and follow the top performers with the most runs leaderboard and most wickets tally.
