The ICC Champions Trophy is back after a long hiatus since 2017. The prestigious tournament kicks off on February 19, with Pakistan hosting New Zealand at Karachi’s National Stadium. India will begin their campaign on February 20 in Dubai, facing Bangladesh.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash is set for February 23. The Men in Blue, two-time Champions Trophy winners, are seeking redemption after losing to Pakistan by 180 runs in the 2017 final.
In a departure from previous editions, where the top eight ODI teams automatically qualified, the 2025 Champions Trophy selections were determined by the 2023 Cricket World Cup standings.
Afghanistan made history by qualifying for the first time after a stellar World Cup performance, defeating England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. However, the West Indies failed to make the cut.
The tournament format has remained unchanged since 2006. The eight participating teams are split into two groups of four, each team playing the others in its group once. The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals, with the winners advancing to the final.
Champions Trophy 2025 Group Breakdown
Group A: Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan
Group B: Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa
Champions Trophy 2025 Prize Money
The total prize pool for the tournament has seen a major increase, now totaling $6.9 million (Rs 60 crore), up 53% from the 2017 edition. The champion team will earn $2.24 million (Rs 19.5 crore), while the runner-up receives $1.12 million (Rs 9.7 crore). Each of the four semi-finalists will take home $560,000 (Rs 4.9 crore).
The prize pool for the 2017 Champions Trophy was $4.5 million (Rs 39 crore), with the winner receiving $2.2 million (Rs 19 crore) and the runner-up $1.1 million (Rs 8.5 crore).