WTC 2027-2029 will feature 12 full member states, while the two-tier system is suspended, the ODI Super League is revived

The next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is likely to include all 12 Full Member nations in one division after plans to divide teams into two tiers failed to gain widespread support. Meanwhile, the revival of the short-lived ODI Super League is also being considered.

A working group led by former New Zealand batsman Roger Twose was tasked with addressing key issues relating to the three formats of cricket. The group recently presented its recommendations to the ICC Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) at last week’s quarterly meetings in Dubai.

There was a sense of urgency behind these discussions, as several countries have already started planning bilateral series for the next WTC cycle (2027-2029). The idea of ​​a two-tiered testing system, which has surfaced repeatedly over the past decade, was discussed again when the working group was formed at the annual ICC conference in July.

However, the proposal was ultimately withdrawn due to concerns about the financial model needed to sustain it.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 did not materialise.

Countries likely to fall into the second division, such as the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, strongly opposed the plan, citing the potential loss of playing opportunities against top teams. Furthermore, promotion and relegation created further complications, with the three major boards expressing concerns about the economic impact of potential relegation.

“We wouldn’t want to go through a fallow period like England, 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 has to play a role 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 competition for the next cycle, starting in July 2027. Under the proposed structure, all teams will be required to play a minimum number of Test matches during the cycle, although the exact number has not yet been finalized.

However, it is not expected that additional funding will be provided to stage Tests, a challenge that has particularly affected smaller Full Members such as Ireland, where the high costs of staging five-day matches have long been a concern.

“It ensures that everyone plays Test cricket. Those who really want to play the format now have opportunities and there is an incentive for other teams to play them,” said a board director, quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

There were also significant developments regarding the white-ball formats, with the ODI Super League possibly seeing a revival after it was axed after the 2023 World Cup. Launched in July 2020, the 13-team competition was originally intended to add more context and competitiveness to the declining 50-plus format.

However, it was eventually discontinued due to an increasingly busy international calendar, a decision that disappointed many smaller full members and associated countries. The latest proposal did not specify how many teams would participate in a revamped competition, which could only be reintroduced from 2028.

“Super League could help revive the over-50s format. Perhaps the problem is not that the format is dead per se, but that it is finding the right structure,” said one administrator.

There appears to be no move to increase the number of teams at the 50-over World Cup, which will consist of 14 teams in 2027, 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 expand participation to 24 teams, with the long-term goal of reaching 32 countries.

Meanwhile, associate members have submitted a proposal to revamp the qualification system for the T20 World Cup. Under the proposed 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. Both associated teams and full members who do not automatically qualify through rankings can participate in this tournament.

Supporters of the plan believe that a global qualifier would not only create a new revenue stream for Associates, but would also address the concerns of some Asian cricket governing bodies, who argue that the current regional qualifying system limits their chances of reaching the main event.

The proposal aims to introduce the global qualifying tournament as part of the pathway to the 2028 T20 World Cup. Despite support from some influential figures and the rapid rise of T10 competitions worldwide, the 90-minute format is not expected to gain official ICC recognition at this stage. The ICC Board will discuss these issues further at the next round of meetings early next year.