India Set to Host England, Australia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe in Women's FTP (2025-29)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, confirming that India will host a series of matches against England, Australia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe. This new schedule outlines the fixtures for the fourth edition of the ICC Women’s Championship and is set to span from May 2025 to April 2029.

During this period, India will play away matches against New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, and Ireland. The revamped FTP includes an ICC women’s event each year, with the inaugural six-team Champions Trophy scheduled for 2027. Additionally, the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup will take place in India in 2025, followed by the Women’s T20 World Cup in the UK in 2026, and another T20 World Cup in 2028, with the host yet to be determined.

The upcoming ICC Women's Championship will see participation from 11 teams, marking the first time Zimbabwe has been included. A total of 132 One Day Internationals (ODIs) will be played across 44 three-match series, providing a pathway for teams to qualify for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in 2029.

In anticipation of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, England will host a tri-series featuring India and New Zealand, while Ireland will host Pakistan and the West Indies. Other tri-series are planned for Sri Lanka and the West Indies in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

Wasim Khan, the ICC General Manager of Cricket, expressed his enthusiasm for the expanded Championship and the efforts made by member boards to create a balanced schedule that enhances the women's game. He stated, "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 new FTP also accommodates increased opportunities for Test matches, with Australia, England, India, South Africa, and the West Indies committing to multi-format series that will include ODIs and T20Is. Notably, Australia is scheduled to play the most multi-format series, facing England, India, and South Africa twice, along with one series against the West Indies.

Moreover, there is a designated window for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, along with annual windows for domestic leagues like the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in November, The Hundred in August, and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) from January to February starting in 2026.

This scheduling means that India’s upcoming multi-format series in Australia, which will consist of one Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is, is now set to take place after the WPL in February-March 2026. Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of operations and scheduling, noted that the scheduling aims to maximize opportunities for the women’s team and create a consistent international presence during the cricket season, which typically runs from October to March.