The ICC board and committee meetings opened in Bali on November 11, 2026, and run through November 15. The headline item is a proposal to expand the World Test Championship from nine teams to as many as 12 Full Members. Zimbabwe looks the likeliest beneficiary, while Afghanistan and Ireland remain uncertain.
WTC Expansion Options on the Table
The World Test Championship currently features nine teams. Three Full Members, Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe, sit outside the structure. The debate centres on whether the competition stays at nine, grows to ten, or opens to all 12 Full Members.
The three scenarios carry very different consequences for the excluded nations, as the table below summarises.
| Format | Teams | Zimbabwe | Afghanistan | Ireland |
|---|
| Status quo | 9 | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Compromise model | 10 | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Full expansion | 12 | Included | Included | Included |
Why a Ten-Team Model Looks Likelier
The England and Wales Cricket Board has reportedly opposed a fully expanded 12-team competition. That opposition makes a ten-team format the more probable compromise if expansion goes ahead. The plan to include all 12 Full Members has reportedly hit roadblocks.
A ten-team scenario would bring Zimbabwe in while leaving Afghanistan and Ireland outside, at least for the next cycle. Their inclusion remains unresolved.
Zimbabwe's Case by the Numbers
Of the three excluded Full Members, Zimbabwe appears closest to a place. Their recent activity supports the case, although those Tests were one-off fixtures rather than part of a bilateral championship framework.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|
| Tests played by Zimbabwe in 2025 | 10 |
| Tests played by Zimbabwe in 2026 | 2 |
| Last England-Zimbabwe series | 2004 |
| England-Zimbabwe Test head-to-head | 7 matches |
| Only drawn series between the sides | December 1996 (0-0, two Tests) |
| Last Australia-Zimbabwe Test | 2003 |
Fixtures That Could Shape the Decision
England are set to tour Zimbabwe for at least one Test in 2028. That would be a significant bilateral occasion, as the two sides last contested a series in 2004.
Zimbabwe are also scheduled to travel to South Africa in 2027 for Test cricket. Whether Australia will visit Zimbabwe in the next cycle remains unclear.
The Wider Agenda in Bali
Expansion is only one of several items before the board. Proposed WTC match-ups for the 2027-29 and 2029-31 cycles are expected to be presented. A broader look at the 2027-2031 Future Tours Programme is also planned.
| Agenda Item | Detail |
|---|
| WTC expansion | Nine, ten or 12 teams |
| WTC match-ups | 2027-29 and 2029-31 cycles |
| Future Tours Programme | 2027-2031 overview |
| McKinsey strategic review | Structure and revenue model of international cricket |
| Governance Review Committee | Initial recommendations, chaired by Devajit Saikia |
| Afghan refugee women's cricket taskforce | Proposed development pathway |
Governance Review
The Governance Review Committee, chaired by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, will present initial recommendations on ICC governance reforms. The review was commissioned ahead of the 2026 annual conference in Edinburgh. A fuller review of governance structures is expected to follow.
ODI Status and the Format's Future
Discussions are also expected to cover the future of ODIs. Currently, 20 countries hold men's ODI status, including 8 Associate nations. Some Associates have pushed for the number to rise to as many as 32, but that proposal is widely seen as unlikely to succeed in its current form.
| ODI Status Metric | Figure |
|---|
| Teams with men's ODI status | 20 |
| Associate nations among them | 8 |
| Associate push for expansion | Up to 32 teams |
The expectation is that ODIs will be played less frequently in the next cycle. The schedule is likely to be weighted toward T20Is and concentrated around the 2030 and 2031 ODI World Cup windows.
Afghan Refugee Women's Taskforce and West Indies Plans
A special taskforce on Afghan refugee women's cricket was re-constituted after the Edinburgh conference. It will present a roadmap including qualification pathways toward 2030 and potential fixtures for a refugee women's team programme.
Separately, Cricket West Indies is exploring white-ball series in North America, with Toronto and Washington DC identified as potential venues. Washington Freedom, an MLC franchise with commercial ties to Cricket Canada, is involved in plans for a 10,000-seat stadium in Frederick, Maryland, about 45 miles north of Washington D.C.
Analytical Outlook
The numbers point to a likely middle path. Zimbabwe's 12 Tests across 2025 and 2026 and confirmed tours from South Africa and England strengthen a ten-team case. Afghanistan and Ireland face a harder route, particularly with reported ECB opposition to a 12-team format.
The outcome will determine how the 2027-29 and 2029-31 cycles are structured. It will also affect the balance between Test, ODI and T20I scheduling across the 2027-2031 Future Tours Programme.