The World test Championship is likely to continue with nine teams for the 2027-29 and 2029-31 cycles despite calls to add more teams.
Published: November 15, 2026, 7:07 PM IST
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WTC to continue with 9 teams until 2031 (Image – X)
The World Test Championship (WTC) is likely to continue with nine teams until 2031This comes after some cricket boards asked the ICC to add more teams to the competition.
The ICC will discuss this issue at its meeting in Bali on SundayHowever, the ICC is likely to keep nine teams for the 2027-29 and 2029-31 cycles, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The WTC is now close to the end of its fourth cycleThere have been talks about changing the competitionOne idea was to divide the teams into two groups.
Another idea was to include all 12 Full Member teams in the WTCZimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan support this plan as they are not part of the competition at presentThe idea was put forward by an ICC group led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose.
However, some cricket boards are worried that adding more teams may not bring in more moneyCricket boards plan WTC matches through their own talks, while the ICC only looks after the finalThis could be one reason why the ICC wants to keep the same format.
The issue was also discussed at a meeting of the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) on SaturdayThe meeting lasted for more than four hours.
Officials from Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan asked the ICC to include their teams in the WTCThey said that not playing in the competition makes it harder for them to improve their Test teams.
The three countries also said that there is no system to move teams up or downBecause of this, they have no clear way to enter the WTC.
Cricket South Africa also wants more teams in the competitionIts chief executive, Pholetsi Moseki, spoke in support of the plan during Saturday’s meeting.
However, the views of the BCCI and Cricket Australia are not clear yetThe England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is believed to have concerns about adding more teams because it could increase travel costs.
The ECB and Zimbabwe Cricket are also planning England’s first tour of Zimbabwe in 30 yearsThe tour was first planned for 2028 but may now take place in 2030It is expected to include a Test match at Victoria Falls.
Sunday’s ICC meeting could be the last chance for those who want more teams in the WTC to share their viewsHowever, they are expecting the ICC may not agree to the plan.
One possible option is to increase the number of teams from nine to 10Zimbabwe wants to play more Test matchesThe team played 10 Tests in 2025 but has played only two so far this year.
The ICC board will also discuss the future of international cricketIt will talk about Test, ODI and T20 cricket and what lies ahead for these formatsGlobal consulting firm McKinsey has prepared a report on this topic and presented it in Bali on Saturday night.
