ICC Champions Trophy Winners List (1998 to 2024)

ICC Champions Trophy Winners List

The Champions Trophy, often nicknamed the “Mini World Cup,” was introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) back in 1998. At first, it was known as the ICC Knockout Tournament and was played every four years. The main goal was to generate funds for cricket in countries that didn’t have Test status. The first two editions were held in Kenya and Bangladesh. However, due to its commercial success, the tournament later took place in major cricketing nations like England and India.

Starting from the 2009 edition, the format was changed to include only the top 8 teams in the ICC ODI rankings. The rankings cutoff was set six months before the trophy started. After the 2017 edition, the Champions Trophy was discontinued to focus on having just one global tournament for each of the three cricket formats.

But, in 2021, the ICC surprised everyone by announcing the return of the Champions Trophy, set to be held in 2025 and 2029. In this article, we’ll list the winners of each past edition of the Champions Trophy.

ICC Champions Trophy Winners List (1998 to 2024)

Teams Qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025

After the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup league stage, the following teams have secured their spots in the 2025 Champions Trophy: India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand earned qualification by reaching the semifinals. Host nation Pakistan and sixth-placed Afghanistan also made the cut. India, among the first to secure a berth, will be joined by top cricketing nations for the much-anticipated return of the Champions Trophy after seven years.

ICC Champions Trophy History

The ICC Champions Trophy, initially called the ICC KnockOut Tournament, kicked off in 1998 and changed its name to the Champions Trophy in 2002. Let’s break down its journey in simple terms. The ICC came up with the idea for the Champions Trophy to raise money for cricket development in non-test playing countries. The first tournaments were in Bangladesh and Kenya, but due to its success, it became a money-spinner for the ICC.

ICC Champions Trophy Evolution:

Originally known as the mini-World Cup involving all ICC full members, it started as a knockout tournament. In 2002, it switched to a round-robin format but stayed short – lasting about two weeks. Over the years, the number of teams changed, but since 2009, only the top eight teams in the ICC ODI Rankings participated. The Champions Trophy has been hosted in seven countries, with England hosting it three times. Initially held every two years, it shifted to a four-year cycle from 2009, aligning with the World Cup schedule.

ICC Champions Trophy Winners and Changes

Thirteen teams competed in eight editions, with Australia and India winning twice each. The 2017 edition was the last, as the ICC aimed for one pinnacle tournament for each cricket format. Plans for an ODI League in 2019 threatened the Champions Trophy’s future. Originally set for India, the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup moved to the UAE due to COVID-19, and there was no Champions Trophy that year. However, it’s back in the plans for the 2025 cycle onwards, marking a new chapter in this cricketing journey.

ICC Champions Trophy Format

The ICC Champions Trophy distinguishes itself from the World Cup in several aspects. Unlike the World Cup, the Champions Trophy spans around two and a half weeks, offering a more condensed competition schedule, as opposed to the month-long duration of the World Cup. Additionally, the number of participating teams varies, with the latest World Cup edition featuring 10 teams, while the most recent Champions Trophy had 8 teams.

In the years 2002 and 2004, the tournament format involved twelve teams engaged in a round-robin competition organized into four pools of three teams each. The leading team from each pool progressed to the semi-final stage, requiring a team to play only four matches (two in the pool stage, along with the semi-final and final) to secure victory. Notably, this format differed from the Knock Out tournaments, which had no pools and operated on a straight knockout basis, resulting in the elimination of the losing team in each match. The 1998 edition featured only eight games, and the 2000 edition included 10 games.

Since 2009, the tournament has seen eight teams divided into two pools of four, adopting a round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool proceed to the semi-finals, introducing the risk of elimination for any team that loses a single match. The current format comprises a total of 15 matches, creating a tournament duration of approximately two and a half weeks.