ICC delays plans for World Club Championship after ‘Big Three’ object

The International Cricket Council will not introduce a World Club Championship or new multilateral international tournaments until at least 2031. The decision follows strong resistance from the sport's "Big Three" nations—England, Australia, and India—during recent discussions in Dubai. These boards maintain that the current calendar has no space for extra events without reducing existing tournaments like World Cups or the Champions Trophy.

Consequently, the upcoming Future Tours Programme for 2027 to 2031 will largely mirror the current cycle, though the World Test Championship may expand to 12 teams. The ICC explored new concepts following a strategic review by McKinsey & Company amid concerns over potential declines in future broadcast rights values.