WTC to be expanded to 12 teams as ICC rejects two-tier proposal in major decision

The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is highly likely to see a total of 12 full member nations participating in it from the next cycle, according to a latest report in ESPNCricinfo.

Also, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided not to introduce the two-tier model in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) as the plan didn't receive widespread support from the top officials.

12 teams to participate in the next WTC cycle

Since the introduction of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), nine teams have competed in it. So far, three cycles have been completed, which have seen New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa clinch the ICC Test mace, while India finished as runners-up in the first two cycles.

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From the next edition, all 12 Full Members will participate in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) after the working group, led by Roger Twose, pushed for it during last week's meetings in Dubai. The new teams featuring in the WTC will be Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.

"It guarantees that everyone is playing Test cricket. Those that really want to play the format now have opportunities and there is an incentive for other teams to play them," a board director told ESPNcricinfo. "

There were some rumours of the ICC introducing a two-tier model, with the likes of India, Australia, and South Africa being in tier one and teams like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and West Indies being in tier two, with a promotion and relegation system being followed.

However, this two-tier model didn't receive much support, and West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan opposed the idea. Also, the doubts over whether a funding model could be implemented contributed to rejecting the two-tier model.

"It had been mooted that India, England, and Australia could support those in division two through a financial distribution, but those talks did not go far," the report read.

ODI Super League to return

In another major development, the ODI Super League is likely to return to revitalize 50-over cricket. Notably, the ODI Super League started in 2020, but was scrapped after the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

The ODI Super League is likely to return from 2028, and it is yet to be revealed how many teams will take part in it.

"The Super League could help revitalise the 50-over format. Maybe the problem is not that the format is necessarily dead, it's finding the proper structure," one administrator said, as quoted by the above-mentioned source.

Teams to be increased in ODI World Cups?

The report further revealed that the number of teams will not be increased in the ICC Cricket World Cups, and similarly, the ICC Men's T20 World Cups will not see an increase in the number of teams.

ICC Men's Cricket World Cups saw 10 teams competing in the last two editions, and in the next edition in 2027, 14 teams will be battling it out.

Also, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 will see 20 teams. Meanwhile, the ultimate goal of the ICC is to have 32 teams participate in ICC Men's T20 World Cups. In another development, the ICC has decided not to give the official format status to T10.

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