All 12 Full Members to Feature in Next WTC 2027 Cycle After Two-Tier Plan Fails. The World Test Championship (WTC) 2027 will have all 12 ICC Full Member nations — India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe — participating in the next cycle after plans to introduce a two-tier system fell short of support from member country boards.
The two-tier system would have assigned nations to two divisions based on their rankings and allowed for promotion and relegation across the divisions to increase competition and attractiveness to sponsors. Supporters of the two-tier system believed it would allow for a greater number of matches between leading participants, such as India, Australia, and England and generate greater viewership and sponsorship.
However, opposition to the plan came from the boards of several countries, especially the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), worried that relegation might jeopardise England’s profitable Test matches throughout the cricket calendar against India and Australia.
Opposition from Smaller Boards
The smaller Full Member nations, Bangladesh, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan, also expressed opposition to lower-tier placement, citing that they felt their international exposure and financial avenues would be lessened by being lower-tier. No settled agreement could be made regarding the deadlines for promotion and relegation, a balanced schedule, or shared revenue, so for now at least, the ICC has set the proposal aside.
Thus, it’s expected that the ICC upholds the existing single-division WTC format for the next cycle between 2027 and 2029 to keep all Full Members involved. The governing body will continue to explore ways to enhance the Test format’s appeal — potentially tweaking the points system or scheduling — but the immediate focus will be on inclusivity.
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In the short run, this is a significant win for fairness among Test-playing nations, maintaining opportunities for all 12 while continuing to uphold the reputation and global identity of Test cricket’s top-tier competition.