ICC Delays World Club Championship Plans After 'Big Three' Objections
The ICC has shelved plans for a World Club Championship and extra multilateral tournaments until at least 2031 due to resistance from England, Australia and India.
The International Cricket Council will not introduce a World Club Championship or additional international multilateral tournaments until 2031 at the earliest. This decision comes in the wake of firm resistance from England, Australia and India.
Informal discussions between the governing body and member boards over several months culminated in a cricket operations workshop in Dubai. The gathering concluded without any extra events being proposed, meaning the next Future Tours Programme spanning 2027 to 2031 will mirror the current cycle.
The only potential modification on the horizon is the expansion of the World Test Championship to 12 teams starting next year. This adjustment would incorporate Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe, though finalised plans are yet to be issued to members.
The ICC remains keen on exploring novel competitions to foster the sport's growth and boost revenues. However, this ambition is bound to trigger friction with the Big Three, particularly India, which single-handedly generates roughly 70% of global cricket revenues.
During the Dubai workshop, officials suggested several fresh concepts including a World Club Championship and four-team T20 international competitions staged in additional windows. The governing body also expressed eagerness to explore quadrangular tournaments as traditional triangular formats fade in popularity.
Despite these proposals, England, Australia and India remain adamant that the calendar holds zero space for extra events unless existing tournaments like World Cups or the Champions Trophy are scrapped. One source described the concepts as an ICC landgrab.
Many of these competitive ideas emerged from a strategic review conducted by US consultants McKinsey, with a full report slated for the upcoming quarterly meeting in Bali. The review was commissioned amid concerns over declining media rights values, particularly in India where the Disney Star and Viacom 18 merger has curbed market competition.
Even as the Future Tours Programme awaits finalisation at next month's Bali meeting, England, Australia and India have already locked in bilateral fixtures through 2031. The Ashes returns to England next summer to kick off the next World Test Championship cycle before a subsequent tour of Australia in 2029-30.