London: The 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) final is expected to be held at the Oval amid growing concerns over the quality of the pitch at Lord’s, a British media outlet said on Sunday.
England are set to host the showpiece tournament for the fourth time in the current cycle, with South Africa beating Australia in the Lord’s 2025 final.
The venue was widely expected to retain hosting rights for 2027, but a move across the Thames to the Oval is now understood to be the most likely outcome.
Sources indicate that no final decision has been made, although a decision is expected by next month ahead of the release of next summer’s international schedule.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already confirmed that England will host the next three World Test Championship finals until 2031 and has specified that the tournament should be in London.
Final selection will be made in conjunction with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Concerns have been raised following the recent Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s, where the surface was criticized for variable bounce and excessive bowling, or lbw.
The match referee rated the pitch as “unsatisfactory”, resulting in the ground receiving its first demerit point under the ICC pitch rating system.
England captain Ben Stokes also questioned the conditions of the surface, warning that extreme pitches could harm the future of Test cricket.
The Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord’s, has acknowledged the criticism. Previously it worked to improve pace and bounce on traditionally slow surfaces, with recent international pitches at the ground being rated as “very good” or “satisfactory”.
Nevertheless, intense scrutiny of the ground has grown, especially with a crowded schedule that includes multiple men’s Tests, women’s internationals and major global events.
If the WTC final is moved to the Oval, Lord’s will retain two men’s Test matches next summer under an agreement with the ECB. One option under discussion is for Lord’s to host an early-season stand-alone Test, possibly involving Pakistan, although the scheduling changes remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, discussions are also underway on a detailed list for 2027, with signs that Manchester could take a “follow payment” instead of hosting the men’s Test, further reshaping England’s summer calendar.
An MCC spokesman said discussions with the ECB were ongoing and no final decisions had been reached regarding the 2027 schedule, adding that the 2025 WTC final at Lord’s was considered a success both on and off the pitch.