A plan to include all 12 Full Member teams for the next cycle has now hit roadblocks

Tristan Lavalette

Published: Nov 12, 2026, 5:27 AM (1 hr ago)

Fierce debate is expected with plans to expand the World Test Championship (WTC) to all 12 Full Members in the next cycle at the upcoming ICC board meeting in Bali.

A strategic review into the overall future of international cricket is also likely to be tabled, along with a potentially finalised Future Tours Programme. The last of the ICC's quarterly meetings for 2026 began on Wednesday and will end on Sunday.

WTC to remain nine teams?

The format of the nine-team WTC, currently in its fourth cycle, has been the subject of much thorny discussion with a two-tier league mooted at one point. But in the last year, a proposal to expand the WTC to all 12 Full Members in one division had gained steam.

Those plans now appear in jeopardy.

Cricinfo understands that the next cycle will likely remain at nine teams only, meaning Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan would continue being on the outer. There remains a possibility that Zimbabwe will join the WTC in what would be 10-team competition but not 12. There have been question marks over Ireland's appetite to play Test cricket in the near future, due to financial strain.

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Meanwhile, it has emerged that the ECB is opposed to an expanded competition. An expansion would mean more travel for them and ultimately squeeze their home window although it is understood the ECB is open to playing Zimbabwe and Ireland - not Afghanistan due to the Taliban government's oppression of women and girls - in one-off Tests that aren't part of the WTC.

If the status quo remains, Zimbabwe will be upset given their determination to be part of the WTC which would help them play more Tests. They played 10 Tests in 2025, but just two this year.

Heated debate over the issue is set to ensue at the board meeting.

Future Tours Programme

The next FTP from 2027 to 2031 is likely to be presented given the current cycle ends in March.

Most of the main commitments of the members have been sorted long ago and, in some cases, already publicly revealed. Final discussions between members are set for the sidelines in Bali.

Cricinfo understands that England are set to tour Zimbabwe in 2028, a visit that might include at least one Test match. The countries have not contested a bilateral series in Zimbabwe since 2004. England and Zimbabwe have played just seven Test matches against each other, with only two in Zimbabwe - a 0-0 drawn series in December 1996.

Relations have improved considerably after a long period when political tensions existed between the two countries during the latter years of the reign of Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe.

South Africa will travel to Zimbabwe in 2027 for a Test, while Australia are also set to visit in the next cycle although it is unclear if Tests will be included. Australia have not played Zimbabwe in Test cricket since 2003 and their only Test match in Zimbabwe was a one-off match in 1999.

After an unbeaten Test match calendar year, West Indies will likely continue playing very short Test series in the next cycle. Cricket West Indies (CWI) are looking to host white-ball series in Washington DC and Toronto as part of their wider strategy to deepen links in North America.

CWI have commercial ties with Cricket Canada and are also looking at strengthening a partnership with MLC franchise Washington Freedom, who have started building a 10,000-seat cricket stadium in Frederick, about 45 miles north of Washington D.C.

The McKinsey strategic review

A review into international cricket's future - involving scrutiny of the three formats - by global management consulting firm McKinsey has been completed and will be tabled to the ICC board.

Of particular interest will be the recommendations over the future of ODI cricket, given its maligned status of being the middle sibling of Tests and T20Is. There is an expectation that ODIs will be played less in the next cycle, and mostly scheduled for 2030-2031 ahead of the 2031 World Cup.

Some Associates are bracing for the worst, such as a reduction of men's ODI teams. Currently 20 countries have men's ODI status, eight from Associate nations. Given the ODI World Cup remains a money-spinner, those fears are unlikely to materialise. There has been a push to increase men's ODI status to 32 teams, but that seems fanciful.

The review may also delve into suggesting potential new revenue streams, as administrators look to reduce the ICC's dependence on broadcast money. All eyes will be on the ICC's revenue distribution model and whether members will receive less share in the next cycle.

Afghan refugee women cricketers

The ICC re-constituted a special taskforce to oversee a roadmap for an Afghan refugee women's team at its mid-year annual conference in Edinburgh. A plan was to be developed to ensure an Afghan refugee women's team has a programme of training and fixtures to build towards potential qualification pathways in 2030.

The task force will present proposed next steps for the development pathway programme to the ICC board in Bali.

Governance review

Discussions over ICC constitutional reforms have been ongoing for years in what has been a contentious subject. There have been several proposals mooted over the years, including a single tier of ICC membership and a push for more independents to sit on the governing body's board.

A Governance Review Committee, chaired by Devajit Saikia from the BCCI, was set up at this year's annual conference and will report its initial recommendations after being tasked with undertaking a thorough review of the ICC's governance.

Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth