World Test Championship final: The Oval chosen to host showpiece
- Published
New Zealand won the inaugural World Test Championship when they beat India in the final in 2021
The World Test Championship final will be held at The Oval between 7 and 11 June.
The finalists are yet to be decided, with Australia, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa all in with a chance of qualification.
England cannot qualify for the final, which is the culmination of a two-year cycle of Test cricket.
They sit fifth out of nine teams, having risen up the table over the past year.
However, they have no more fixtures remaining in the cycle - their two Test matches against New Zealand this month are not part of the competition.
Australia and India are favourites to reach the final and are the only two teams with their fate in their own hands.
Australia, who will face England in the Ashes from 16 June, need to draw just one the four Tests in their forthcoming series against India to guarantee a spot in the final.
India are currently second in the table and will also reach the showpiece match if they secure a 3-1 victory over Australia in the series which starts on 9 February in Nagpur.
Dependent on results elsewhere, a narrower margin of victory for India, or a drawn series could also be enough, while if Australia lose 4-0, they would only miss out on the final if Sri Lanka won both their matches in New Zealand.
There are numerous permutations that would see Sri Lanka, who are third, and fourth-placed South Africa reach the final.
South Africa host West Indies in a two-Test series from 28 February, while the first of Sri Lanka's two Tests against New Zealand starts on 9 March.
The final will have a reserve day in the event of bad weather disrupting the first five days.