ICC Unveils 2025-29 Future Tours Programme for Women’s Cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced its 2025-2029 Future Tours Programme (FTP), introducing an annual schedule for women’s cricket with major ICC tournaments every year. This cycle begins with the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, followed by the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, the first-ever Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027, and another T20 World Cup in 2028. This yearly cadence of events aims to increase exposure and provide consistent competitive opportunities in women’s cricket.

Expanded Women’s Championship and Zimbabwe’s Debut

The new cycle will see the Women’s Championship expand to 11 teams, welcoming Zimbabwe for their debut tournament. This addition supports the ICC’s goal of growing the sport globally and increasing representation. Under this format, each team will face eight others, split between four home and four away series. The program consists of 44 series and 132 One Day Internationals (ODIs). Zimbabwe’s first hosting will bring teams like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and South Africa to their grounds, while Zimbabwe will travel to compete in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England, and the West Indies.

Tri-Series Tournaments for Event Preparation

As part of the FTP, the ICC has incorporated several tri-series tournaments, offering teams valuable preparation opportunities before major ICC events. These tri-series events will help teams sharpen their strategies and build cohesion ahead of larger competitions.

Scheduled Tri-Series Tournaments

• England will host India and New Zealand in a T20I tri-series prior to the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026.
• Ireland will welcome Pakistan and the West Indies for another tri-series around the same time.
• Additional tri-series will take place in Sri Lanka (2027) and West Indies (2028), providing ample warm-up games that will help teams refine their skills in competitive settings.

Tri-series tournaments add a layer of excitement and strategic play to the FTP cycle, contributing to the preparation and readiness of teams for major events.

Broader Global Impact and Enhanced Competitive Opportunities

The 2025-2029 FTP promises a substantial increase in international women’s cricket across all formats, with more than 400 matches to engage fans and support player development. With Zimbabwe’s inclusion and the expanded structure, the new FTP program will cultivate talent worldwide, bringing heightened visibility to women’s cricket and fostering a broader international following. This cycle represents a commitment by the ICC to elevate women’s cricket through robust competition and a diverse range of tournaments.