Women's FTP 2025-29: India set to host England and Australia, play more Tests

India is set to host Australia and England while also taking on multiple Test series abroad, following the International Cricket Council's (ICC) announcement of the women's cricket Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the 2025-29 cycle.

In Short

• India to host Australia, England, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe in 2025-29
• Women's cricket FTP includes structured windows for franchise leagues
• Increase in women's Test cricket, with four annual Tests from 2026

India will host Australia and England while embarking on an expanded schedule of Test matches across the globe, as revealed in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Women's Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the 2025-29 cycle. This period will see India host other top teams and play away series against countries like New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland, and South Africa, marking a new chapter in competitive opportunities for women's cricket.

Aside from Australia and England, two of the sport's heavyweights, India will welcome Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at home. Zimbabwe's inclusion reflects the ICC Women's Championship's expanded structure, allowing more nations to compete at the highest level. India's schedule at home will not only showcase top-tier matches but also create chances for Indian fans to witness intense bilateral series.

The FTP cycle from 2025 to 2029 incorporates the ICC's structured windows for prominent women's franchise leagues. The Women's Premier League (WPL), slated for January-February, The Hundred in England (August), and the Women's Big Bash League (November) in Australia have received designated periods to avoid clashes with international schedules. This arrangement allows players to participate fully in these leagues, promoting the growth of women's franchise cricket worldwide.

India will continue to tour globally, including series in New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland, and South Africa. The FTP stipulates four home and four away series for each member nation, enhancing cross-border competition and providing structured play opportunities. In alignment with the previous FTP, India will not engage in bilateral series with Pakistan, facing them only in ICC tournaments.

A key highlight of this FTP cycle is the increase in Test cricket for women. While only one Test match is scheduled in 2025 between Australia and England, starting from 2026, the annual schedule will include four Tests. Significantly, the West Indies will return to Test cricket after a 20-year gap, taking on Australia, England, and South Africa in single Tests. This development marks a welcome revival of the longest format of the game, historically limited in the women's circuit.

The FTP cycle will feature an ICC Women's tournament every year, beginning with the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2025, hosted by India. Subsequent years will see the T20 World Cup in England in 2026, the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in 2027, and another T20 World Cup in 2028. Notably, 2028 will also mark cricket's return to the Olympics, as women's T20 cricket debuts at the Los Angeles Games.

Over the FTP period, 132 One Day Internationals (ODIs) will be held across 44 three-match series. These matches will serve as a qualification pathway for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2029, adding further relevance to each series. The structure also allows teams to incorporate Tests or T20s into these tours, creating a balanced and multi-format experience for players and f