In a historic announcement, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled its Future Tours Program (FTP) for 2025-2029, marking a significant expansion in women’s cricket. The next four years will feature 400 international matches, including a major addition to women’s tournaments – the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, which has long been a highlight in men’s cricket. With this addition, the ICC aims to bring even greater visibility to women’s cricket globally.
ICC General Manager Wasim Khan emphasized the importance of this move, noting it as a step toward inclusivity and a global push to popularize women’s cricket across more nations.
India’s Role in the FTP: Hosting, Touring, and Key Series
India is set to play a prominent role in this new program, hosting top teams like Australia and England in the upcoming seasons. The Indian women’s team will also host Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the latter of which is joining the ICC Women’s Championship as the 11th team. This extended reach into more nations, with each team playing both home and away series, represents ICC’s vision of greater global representation.
Additionally, the Indian team will tour New Zealand, the West Indies, Ireland, and South Africa as part of their international commitments. India will also participate in a triangular series with England and New Zealand before the Women’s T20 World Cup, hosted by England in 2026.
Key Highlights of the 2025-2029 ICC Women’s FTP
The FTP, running from May 2025 to April 2029, outlines the structure for the ICC Women’s Championship, with 11 teams competing for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup qualification. The format will see teams battle it out in 132 ODI matches across 44 series. This expansion offers fans around the world more matches and competitive action, while member nations seek to broaden the appeal of women’s cricket and inspire the next generation.
Another exciting highlight is the inclusion of multi-format series for countries like Australia, India, and South Africa. These series, consisting of ODIs, T20Is, and Test matches, are designed to boost interest in women’s Test cricket while providing a varied playing format to the women’s teams. Australia, known for its strong presence in women’s cricket, will participate in multi-format series with England, India, and South Africa, along with a single series against the West Indies.
Multi-Nation Events and ICC Women’s Championship Evolution
The ICC Women’s Championship, which determines which teams qualify for the Women’s World Cup, will see its fourth season launched as part of this FTP. It marks an increase from the current cycle, with Zimbabwe joining the ranks and bringing the total number of competing teams to 11. Zimbabwe’s addition reflects ICC’s commitment to expanding women’s cricket into regions with growing interest, giving the team a chance to host series with South Africa, West Indies, Ireland, and Sri Lanka. The Zimbabwe team will also tour countries like India, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Pakistan as they compete in this global stage.
The FTP also highlights the key upcoming ICC events, such as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India in 2025, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England in 2026, and a yet-to-be-announced host for the 2028 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. These events underscore the ICC’s aim to bring more exposure to women’s cricket on a global level.
ICC’s Vision: A More Inclusive Future for Women’s Cricket
With this FTP, the ICC is striving to make women’s cricket as celebrated and widespread as men’s. By launching the Champions Trophy for women and adding new teams and multi-nation tournaments, ICC is opening doors for more competitive matches and extensive schedules, providing ample opportunities for teams to shine on the international stage.
As women’s cricket continues to grow, fans can look forward to an exciting new era, with more matches, new rivalries, and a broader global reach.
