Photo Credit: BCCI
England play arch-rivals Australia and India in two five-Test series each in the Men’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the period 2023-27 that was confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) today.
The announcement of the FTP, a result of a collective effort of Full Members with ICC’s support, ensures certainty of cricket fixtures with the confirmation of all bilateral series across the three formats. The exact dates and venues of the series are for the Members to announce in due course.
England’s first outing in the upcoming FTP will be a home Test against Ireland in June next year, which will be followed by their first-five Test series of the cycle against Australia from June to August 2023. Their five-Test commitments are against India in an away series in January-February 2024 and at home in June-July 2025. They tour Australia for the next Ashes showdown starting November 2025 for five Tests.
England also tour Pakistan for three Tests in October-November 2024, followed by a three-Test tour of New Zealand. All these series will be part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), two cycles of which will figure during the FTP – 2023-25 and 2025-27.
England feature in limited overs series against Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the West Indies apart from Test series both part of and outside of the WTC.
WTC Series: England play Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies at home in the 2023-25 WTC and are scheduled to play India, New Zealand and Pakistan in away series. In the 2025-27 WTC, England play India, New Zealand and Pakistan at home while Australia, Bangladesh and South Africa will host them.
The announcement of the Men’s FTP comes a day after the first ever Women’s FTP was announced.
ICC GM of Cricket Wasim Khan said: “I’d like to thank our Members for the effort that has gone into creating this FTP for the next four years. We are incredibly lucky to have three vibrant formats of the game, with an outstanding programme of ICC global events and strong bilateral and domestic cricket and this FTP is designed to allow all cricket to flourish.
“The landscape around the game is continuing to evolve and we will work closely with Members as we collectively adapt to that. We are committed to growing the game and giving more fans more opportunities to enjoy cricket, but are very mindful of the need to balance that ambition with the welfare of players.”
ECB Interim CEO Claire Connor said she was thrilled that both FTPs had now been announced.
Clare Connor, ECB Interim CEO, said: “These Future Tour Programmes set out the international cricket we’ll be playing over the coming years. There is so much for supporters to look forward to across Test and white ball cricket, home and away.
“With the increased number of domestic white ball competitions and the introduction of an annual global tournament in men’s cricket, creating an international schedule has never been harder. We must continue to work together as international Boards to manage these challenges, look after our players’ welfare, and ensure a sustainable future for international cricket which we and so many players and supporters love and cherish.
“I’m particularly thrilled that for the first time we have been able to build a Future Tours Programme for women’s cricket, bolstered by a white ball global event each year. This is testament to the rapid growth and professionalisation of the women’s game and we must all keep giving it greater priority to inspire girls and women in this country and around the world to genuinely feel that cricket is a game for them.”
- A media release on the complete men’s FTP, an earlier media release on the women’s FTP, graphics and schedules are available in the Online Media Zone
