The next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is likely to include all 12 Full Member nations in a single division, after plans to divide teams into two tiers failed to gain broad support. Meanwhile, the revival of the short-lived ODI Super League is also being considered.
A working group led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose was tasked with addressing key issues concerning cricket’s three formats. The group recently presented its recommendations to the ICC Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) during last week’s quarterly meetings in Dubai.
There was a sense of urgency behind these discussions, as several countries have already begun planning bilateral series for the next WTC cycle (2027-29). The idea of a two-tier Test system, which has resurfaced repeatedly over the past decade, was once again debated when the working group was formed at the ICC Annual Conference in July.
However, the proposal was ultimately dropped due to concerns over the financial model required to sustain it. It had been suggested that India, England, and Australia could provide financial support to teams placed in a potential second division, but those discussions failed to progress.
Nations likely to fall into division two, such as the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, strongly opposed the plan, citing the potential loss of playing opportunities against top-tier teams. Additionally, promotion and relegation raised further complications, with the big three boards expressing concerns about the economic impact of potential relegation.
“We wouldn’t want, as England, we may go through a fallow period, and that means, what, we fall into Division Two and we don’t play Australia and India? That couldn’t happen. There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here,” ECB chief Richard Thompson told the BBC in August as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Instead, the working group has proposed a 12-team WTC, with Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland potentially joining an expanded league for the next cycle, set to begin in July 2027. Under the proposed structure, all teams will be required to play a minimum number of Test matches during the cycle, though the exact figure has not yet been finalised.
However, no additional funding is expected to be provided for hosting Tests, a challenge that has particularly affected smaller Full Members such as Ireland, where the high costs of organising five-day matches have long been a concern.
“It guarantees that everyone is playing Test cricket. Those that really want to play the format now have opportunities and there is an incentive for other teams to play them,” a board director said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
There were also significant developments regarding the white-ball formats, with the ODI Super League potentially set for a revival after being scrapped following the 2023 World Cup. The 13-team competition, launched in July 2020, was originally designed to add greater context and competitiveness to the declining 50-over format.
However, it was eventually discontinued amid an increasingly congested international calendar, a decision that disappointed many smaller Full Members and Associate nations. The latest proposal did not specify how many teams would feature in a revamped league, which could only be reintroduced from 2028 onward.
“The Super League could help revitalise the 50-over format. Maybe the problem is not that the format is necessarily dead, it’s finding the proper structure,” said one administrator.
There does not appear to be any move to expand the number of teams at the 50-over World Cup, which will feature 14 sides in 2027, up from the 10-team format used in the previous two editions. The T20 World Cup is also expected to remain a 20-team event, despite calls from some administrators to gradually increase participation to 24 teams, with a long-term goal of reaching 32 nations.
Meanwhile, Associate Members have submitted a proposal to revamp the T20 World Cup qualifying system. Under the suggested model, similar to the men’s Olympic qualifying pathway and structures seen in other global sports, a single global qualifier would determine the remaining spots. This tournament could include both Associate teams and Full Members who fail to qualify automatically through rankings.
Supporters of the plan believe a global qualifier would not only create a new revenue stream for Associates but also address concerns from some Asian cricket boards, who argue that the current regional qualification system limits their opportunities to reach the main event.
The proposal aims to introduce the global qualification tournament as part of the pathway for the 2028 T20 World Cup. Despite backing from some influential figures and the rapid rise of T10 leagues worldwide, the 90-minute format is not expected to gain official ICC recognition at this stage. The ICC Board is set to further discuss these issues during its next round of meetings early next year.
