ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Ultimate Guide: Everything you need to know
Featuring eight of the best sides in the ODI format, the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is upon us. The tournament shall be played for the first time since 2017, when Pakistan clinched the title for the first time.
The defending champions will be hosting the tournament while India will be playing all of their games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In the opener on February 19, hosts Pakistan will square up against New Zealand in Karachi.
Here's everything that you need to know about the much-awaited tournament. WATCH - 'Jeeto Baazi Khel Ke' ft. Atif Aslam: The official ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 song
The official song of Champions Trophy 2025 'Jeeto Baazi Khel Ke' featuring Atif Aslam is out now!
Below is the full list of broadcasters and their respective territories for watching the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 LIVE:
India: JioStar (Live streaming on Jio Hotstar, Television coverage on Star and Network 18 channels)
Pakistan: PTV and Ten Sports, Streaming options: Myco and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: CricLife Max and CricLife Max2, Streaming option: STARZPLAY
UK: Live broadcasting on Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Action, Digital coverage via SkyGO, NOW and Sky Sports App
USA and Canada: WillowTV, Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPNCaribbean on TV, Streaming via ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo (coverage available in Hindi too)
New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ, digital coverage via Now and SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV and T Sports for linear broadcast, digital via Toffee app
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV (TV1 on Linear), Digital via Sirasa
Click to know the full list of countries where ICC.tv will stream the tournament.
For more details on where to watch the action.
While previously, the top-eight ranked ODI sides had featured in the Champions Trophy, the qualification for the 2025 edition hinged upon the 2023 edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.
The teams that occupied the top-eight spots in the 10-team points table, including the hosts Pakistan, sealed their place for the Champions Trophy. WATCH: Shastri, Ponting preview the epic ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025
Shastri, Ponting preview the epic ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 | The ICC Review
After a memorable Cricket World Cup back in 2023, where they emerged victorious over England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Afghanistan earned their maiden Champions Trophy qualification.
Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan arrive to the competition on the back of their first-ever semi-finals finish in an ICC tournament at last year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup. WATCH: The rise and rise of Afghanistan | T20WC 2024
The format of the competition has remained the same as it was since eight teams were introduced in the fray back in 2006.
All eight teams are slotted into two groups of four, with each team playing once against every other team in the group.
The top-two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, determining the two that will feature in the summit clash. WATCH: Pakistan stuns India to win Champions Trophy 2017
Pakistan v India | Match Highlights | 2017 Champions Trophy Final
Prizemoney:
The return of the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2017 will see eight teams compete for the grand prize of a whopping $2.24 million (USD).
The runners-up will receive $1.12 million, while each losing semi-finalist will take home $560,000. The total prize pool has increased by an impressive 53 percent from the 2017 edition, reaching $6.9 million.
India v England | Match Highlights | 2013 Champions Trophy Final
The Champions Trophy kicks off at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19, with the hosts facing the Black Caps in Group A.
Runner-up from 2017 and two-time winners India, will begin their campaign in Dubai on February 20 against Bangladesh. This will be swiftly followed by their high-voltage meeting against arch-rivals Pakistan on a blockbuster weekend that will also witness reigning Cricket World Cup winners, Australia in a tense challenge against old nemesis England in their opening fixture. ALSO READ - 'They'll remind you if you lose' – Not just any old game, says Shastri
The two semi-finals will be played on March 4 and March 5 in Dubai and Lahore respectively. The final is scheduled for March 9, and will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. WATCH: Hardik Pandya recalls India's famous MCG triumph against Pakistan
Hardik Pandya recalls 2022 Melbourne magic against Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy 2025
In the final of the last edition of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs to lift the trophy at The Oval, London.
While Fakhar Zaman was deemed Player of the Match in the final for his match-winning ton, Hasan Ali finished as the Player of the Tournament. ICC Champions Trophy, 2025 News Men's News
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From humble beginnings to legendary status, the Pakistani singer has amassed a global following of millions. It's 2004. I'm living my best life in Riyadh, but the closest I've gotten to Pakistani music is a few cassette tapes of Junoon and Vital Signs. And then, one evening, while lazily flipping through TV channels, I stumbled across a song that sounded different. It's raw and gripping in a way that feels personal, even though I don't know what the lyrics mean yet. It was Aadat by a new band called Jal, fronted by Atif Aslam. Within seconds, I'm hooked and so is my best friend. We can't stop talking about it. Our schoolbooks turn into pages of doodles and lyrics, passed between classes like secret letters. The obsession was real. So real that after browsing fan pages and forums on dial-up internet, I managed to find Atif Aslam's manager's number. Called him from a landline at 2am in Riyadh and whispered into the receiver like I was smuggling state secrets. 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'We had to cover for another artist who didn't show up, and we ended up performing for three and a half hours,' he laughs. 'Someone from the crowd said, 'We came for — I don't want to name the artist — but we're leaving as your fans.' That was a beautiful twist of fate.' It's easy to think of Atif Aslam as a larger-than-life figure, but he remains surprisingly grounded. Had music not found him, he might have pursued a career in aviation or cricket. But giving up never felt like a real option — even during moments of doubt. Though the industry came with its share of pressures, including moral dilemmas about lyrics he didn't align with, he always found a way to return to himself. 'There were songs I didn't feel right singing,' he admitted. 'I had to change lyrics, but I had a family to take care of, a career to keep.' 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'It didn't hit me in the first two years, but then I saw my son growing up and realised I wanted to take a back seat,' he chimes. 'He became my centre. But Atif Aslam still needs to sing to function, but there's a deeper intent behind each note. 'Music is spirituality,' he added. 'It's how I communicate with God. I found Him through it.' Lately, fans have been seeing a candid side of Atif Aslam — one that embraces goofy moments and connects with fans in surprising ways. The man who once projected mystery now posts reels. But this isn't a reinvention, it's a revelation. 'I've always been like this! I just never showed it publicly,' he laughs. 'It helps me connect. I don't want to be that untouchable 'legend'. I'm still here. I see you. I hear you.' But he also draws a line wherein his home life, for example, remains off-screen. 'Some things are sacred,' he adds. For UAE fans, Atif Aslam is more than a touring artist, he's practically a regular with Dubai being a 'second home'. 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So here it is, as a gentle reminder that sometimes the moments we hold onto are often the ones that shape us the most, moving us forward — just like water. GO: Follow @atifaslam on Instagram for more information.
