Winners to receive prize money of USD 2.24 million

DUBAI, Feb 15 (Agencies): The Champions Trophy prize pot will increase to $6.9 million this year, a jump of 53 per cent from 2017, with the winners receiving $2.24 million, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

Holders Pakistan will host an ICC showpiece event for the first time in 28 years. The eight-team quadrennial One-Day International (ODI) tournament kicks off on February 19 in Karachi and the final will be held on March 09.

There will be 15 matches across Pakistan and Dubai, after India refused to travel to rivals Pakistan, instead agreeing to play their matches in the neutral Gulf city.

The runners-up will get $1.12 million, and the losing semi-finalists will be awarded $560,000 each. Teams that finished fifth or sixth will each earn $350,000 while the seventh and eighth-placed sides take home $140,000. The 2021 edition of the Champions Trophy was scrapped by the ICC in 2016, which wanted only one major tournament in each of the sport's three international formats, prioritising the 50-over World Cup. The decision was reversed in late 2021.

The 2023 edition of the quadrennial 10-team ODI World Cup, won by Australia after they beat India in Gujarat, featured a larger number of group-stage and knockout matches and offered a $4 million prize for the winning team from a pot of $10 million. The Champions Trophy continues to be an eight-team tournament, split into two groups of four teams each. The top two from each group will proceed to the semi-finals. "In addition, all eight teams are assured of $125,000 each for competing in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025," an ICC statement said. ICC chair Jay Shah said, "The substantial prize pot underscores the ICC's ongoing commitment to investing in the sport and maintaining the global prestige of our events. Beyond the financial incentive, this tournament ignites fierce competition, captivates fans worldwide, and plays a vital role in fostering the growth and long-term sustainability of cricket for future generations." The tournament begins on February 19 in Karachi with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand. It's the first ICC tournament to be played in Pakistan since they co-hosted the 1996 World Cup. India's matches will, however, be played in Dubai - against Bangladesh on February 20, against Pakistan on February 23, and against New Zealand on March 2 - since the team wasn't allowed to travel to Pakistan. The rest of the tournament will be played across Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. If India reach the knockouts, the matches will continued to be played in Dubai. Their semi-final is slotted for March 04.

"The ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 represents a pivotal moment for cricket, reviving a tournament that highlights the pinnacle of ODI talent, where every match is critical," the ICC chairman emphasised in his statement.

"Beyond the financial incentive, this tournament ignites fierce competition, captivates fans worldwide, and plays a vital role in fostering the growth and long-term sustainability of cricket for future generations," Shah added.