Champions Trophy 2025: No Opening Ceremony Featuring All Teams Ahead of Tournament - Report

Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and UAE will reportedly have no opening ceremony featuring all the eight competing nations with the pre-tournament events, including captains' conference and photoshoot also being cancelled.

While there was no official information of an opening ceremony being lined up before the tournament curtain-raiser at the National Stadium in Karachi, it is now believed there will be no such plans.

According to a report in GeoSuper, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have decided to do away with the pre-tournament activities like the opening ceremony, press conference featuring all eight captains and the official photoshoot in Karachi.

The report states that ICC and PCB have taken this call due to late arrival of teams. In addition to India captain Rohit Sharma not travelling to Karachi for the captains' conference, a few teams have been pencilled in to arrive late for the tournament, scheduled to start on February 19.

Australia, who are currently in Sri Lanka for a Test and ODI tour, will only arrive in Pakistan on February 19, while England, who are currently in India for a white-ball tour, will reach Pakistan a day earlier on February 18.

Bangladesh and India are scheduled to arrive in Dubai on February 15, while Afghanistan will reach Islamabad on February 12. South Africa and New Zealand will be the only teams arriving early due their tri-series assignment against Pakistan. Hence, there will be no opening ceremony.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will open with Pakistan taking on New Zealand, while India face Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. Due to India's reluctance to travel to Pakistan, the tournament is being held in hybrid model with the Men in Blue's matches all being hosted at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.

Although there is no opening ceremony planned involving all the teams, the report further states that PCB is planning to have some programme before the Pakistan vs New Zealand match in Karachi as the country gets set to host an ICC event for the first time in many years.