Women's FTP 2025-29 | WPL set to kick-off in January from 2026

On November 4 (Monday), the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the Future Tour Programme (FTP) for women’s cricket from 2025 to 2029, dedicating windows to franchise cricket, more Tests and the inclusion of the 2028 LA Olympics in the schedule (July 2028).

The new period will also see many more tri-series tournaments, bolstering participation for other teams besides Australia, England, India, and South Africa. Over the next five-year window, the ICC estimates upwards of 400 matches across formats, signalling a new dawn for women’s cricket. 

Apart from that, the new FTP will also see the participation of Zimbabwe who are included for the first time, increasing the number of teams to 11, including Bangladesh and Ireland. According to the FTP,  the first-ever Champions Trophy will be held in 2027, with the top six teams set to take part in that competition. 

One more big change is that the FTP will now include a window for franchise leagues, which will make the development of women’s cricket much quicker. The Women’s Premier League (WPL), India’s marquee T20 tournament will begin in January from 2026 onwards instead of the usual February scheduling. That, in return, will push the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) to February 2026.

As already known, the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup and 2026 T20 World Cup in the United Kingdom are also on as per schedule. Australia will play as many as eight Tests over the next four years, with multi-format series against India, South Africa, England, and West Indies. It will be the first time Australia has taken on West Indies in a women’s Test in 50 years. 

"We are delighted to announce the new Women's FTP. The ODIs within the Women's Championship will continue to provide both context and a pathway to the Women's Cricket World Cup 2029. The FTP also provides clarity for teams and the fans," said Wasim Khan in the ICC Press Release.

"We are pleased that the new edition of the IWC has expanded and will include Zimbabwe as an eleventh team.”

"It is heartening that Member Boards are keen to play across formats and also that they have planned tri-series to prepare for ICC events. The effort made by the Members to provide a balanced and contextual calendar will further elevate the women's game. We thank Member Boards for their commitment and collaboration in finalizing the FTP."

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