LONDON (
Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) is to abandon its home of 96 years at Lord's Cricket Ground in London and move to Dubai.
"The package on offer to relocate the ICC to Dubai was very attractive and preparations are now in an advanced stage to move to the Emirate in August this year," ICC chairman Ehsan Mani said in a statement on Monday.
The ICC have had their headquarters at the Marylebone Cricket Club in north-west London since 1909.
Its operations had been split between London, which handled all of the administrative work, and the commercial and financial operation in Monaco.
"The Board has been committed to unifying its administration for some time and after considering a range of offers from around the world, the directors were of the view that Dubai provided the best way forward for the international game," Mani added.
The ICC will initially move to a complex within Dubai's Media City for two years before building its own premises within the specially-constructed Sports City complex.
Mani said the decision to leave Lord's had been a difficult one.
"Clearly, cricket's deep association with England and particularly Lord's as the historic home of the sport was a factor that weighed heavily in the board's discussions on this matter," he said.
"Nevertheless, like many international governing bodies before us, it is clear that operating in the United Kingdom under the current system is not in the best interests of our members.
"I would like to thank the MCC for its role in running and then hosting the ICC over the past 96 years."
