WTC 2027-29 to feature 12 full member nations as two-tier system shelved, ODI Super League to be revived

The next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle will most likely feature all 12 Full Member nations in a single division, after attempts to separate teams into two tiers failed to receive widespread support. Meanwhile, the reintroduction of the short-lived ODI Super League is under consideration.

A working group, chaired by former New Zealand batsman Roger Twose, was entrusted with resolving fundamental issues in cricket’s three formats. Last week’s quarterly meetings in Dubai saw the group deliver its proposals to the ICC Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC).

There was a sense of urgency to these negotiations, as several countries had already begun preparing bilateral series for the next WTC cycle (2027-29).

The concept of a two-tier Test system, which has resurrected several times over the last decade, was revisited when the working group was constituted at the ICC Annual Conference in July.

However, the concept was eventually cancelled due to worries about the financial model needed to support it. It had been speculated that India, England, and Australia would provide financial assistance to teams placed in a prospective second tier, but those conversations did not advance.

Nations that are expected to fall into division two, such as the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, have fiercely opposed the plan, noting the probable loss of playing opportunities against top-tier teams. Furthermore, promotion and relegation created new issues, with the top three boards concerned about the economic consequences of probable 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.

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.

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.