The International Cricket Council (ICC) has delayed plans for a proposed World Club Championship and other new international multilateral tournaments until at least 2031. The development comes after opposition from England, Australia and India, the three most influential boards in the international cricket landscape.
The proposed competition was part of wider discussions about how cricket could respond to the rapid growth of franchise leagues and changing media-rights economics. However, the increasingly crowded international calendar has made it difficult to create space for another major tournament.
For cricket fans following the latest developments, including readers of Howzzat, the decision is significant because it means the existing international structure is likely to remain largely intact through the next Future Tours Programme cycle.
World Club Championship Faces Calendar Challenge
The World Club Championship had been discussed as a potential global competition bringing leading franchise teams together. Earlier proposals formed part of an ICC review examining ways to strengthen cricket’s commercial position while protecting international cricket from the growing influence of domestic T20 leagues.
However, the ICC’s plans have encountered a major obstacle: there is very little room in the cricket calendar.
International teams already have bilateral series, ICC World Cups, the Champions Trophy, the World Test Championship and other commitments. At the same time, major franchise competitions occupy important periods of the year.
According to reports, an ICC cricket operations workshop in Dubai concluded without proposing additional events. As a result, plans for the new club championship and other international multilateral competitions have effectively been pushed beyond the current scheduling cycle.
England, Australia and India Raise Concerns
The resistance from England, Australia and India has been central to the delay. The three boards already have extensive bilateral commitments extending into the next decade, making it difficult to accommodate another global tournament without changing existing competitions.
The concern is not necessarily about the concept of a global club competition itself. Instead, the main issue is where it would fit into an already congested calendar.
The ICC would potentially need to create space by reducing or changing existing events, but major tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy remain important parts of the international structure.
Future Tours Programme Expected to Remain Unchanged
The latest development means the Future Tours Programme covering 2027 to 2031 is expected to remain largely similar to the current structure. England, Australia and India have already established substantial bilateral schedules during this period.
The ICC’s official long-term schedule already includes major men’s events such as the 2027 Cricket World Cup, 2028 T20 World Cup, 2029 Champions Trophy, 2030 T20 World Cup and 2031 Cricket World Cup.
This leaves little flexibility for another major competition before 2031.
For franchise cricket, the delay means there will be no immediate ICC-backed global tournament bringing champions from different domestic leagues into a single competition. The idea could nevertheless return when the international calendar is reviewed for the period after 2031.
World Test Championship Expansion Still Possible
While the World Club Championship has been delayed, another potential change remains under discussion: expanding the World Test Championship.
Reports indicate that the ICC is considering increasing the competition to 12 teams, potentially adding Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe. However, the plans have not yet been formally finalised.
An expanded World Test Championship would provide more opportunities for developing Test nations while working within the existing international framework. It would also represent a different approach from creating an entirely new global tournament.
The proposal could become an important part of discussions about the future of Test cricket, particularly as the ICC seeks to balance the traditional international game with the increasing popularity of franchise T20 cricket.
What the Delay Means for Global Cricket
The postponement highlights one of the biggest challenges facing modern cricket: finding a balance between international commitments and the expanding franchise game.
The ICC has been examining new formats and competition structures as part of a broader strategic review. Earlier discussions included a possible World Club T20 competition, fixed windows for different formats and other changes to the international calendar.
For now, however, the established schedule remains the priority.
The World Club Championship may therefore have to wait until the next major calendar cycle. The decision also demonstrates the influence of the leading cricket boards when major changes to the international schedule are considered.
For fans, the immediate outcome is straightforward: the existing ICC tournament structure is expected to continue through 2031, while the idea of a global club championship remains on hold. As cricket continues to evolve, the competition could return to the agenda once the calendar has more room for innovation.
