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ICC Expands World Test Championship to 12 Teams, Welcoming Netherlands, USA, and Ireland

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, November 11th 2025 at 21:24 GMT by mykhel

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World Test Championship to Grow to 12 Teams: Three New Nations Join, Two‑Tier Format Discontinued

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed a landmark change to the world’s premier Test competition. The World Test Championship (WTC) will expand from nine to twelve teams for the 2023‑24 cycle, adding the Netherlands, the United States of America (USA), and Ireland. The change also eliminates the existing two‑tier system that had been used in the WTC’s earlier editions.

Why the Expansion?

The WTC, launched in 2019, was designed to give the traditional Test format a clearer narrative, culminating in a final between the top two teams at the end of a 12‑month cycle. Over the past few seasons, the ICC has observed growing interest in the format, especially in the United Kingdom and the Indian subcontinent. The governing body stated that expanding the field would:

• Increase competitiveness – More teams will have a realistic shot at the championship, raising the stakes for every match.
• Develop the game globally – Including associate members such as the Netherlands, USA, and Ireland will provide vital exposure to the highest level of the sport, encouraging wider participation.
• Simplify the format – A single‑league structure, rather than a two‑tier split, makes the standings easier for fans to follow and removes the complexities that previously required relegation and promotion battles.

Chief Executive Officer David Boon highlighted that the move “helps to keep Test cricket at the centre of the sport’s growth plan, giving emerging nations the chance to test their mettle on the world stage.”

The New Three Nations

1. Ireland

Ireland was awarded Test status in 2018 and has already played a handful of Test matches since. They joined the WTC in the 2022‑23 cycle, but as a member of the newly created second tier. The 12‑team expansion will elevate them to the same competitive tier as the traditional Test powers.

2. Netherlands

The Netherlands are an associate member that has performed strongly in One Day International (ODI) and T20 cricket. While they have never played a full Test match, the ICC has extended an invitation for them to compete in the WTC as part of the expansion. This offers the Dutch team a unique chance to experience the longest format of the game at the highest level.

3. United States of America (USA)

The USA has been rapidly developing its domestic structure, culminating in a significant victory over Sri Lanka in a historic ODI series. The ICC’s decision to include the USA in the WTC acknowledges the country’s growing cricket fan base and its potential to become a competitive Test nation. Like the Netherlands, the USA will not yet be a full Test team but will compete in the WTC for exposure and experience.

The New Format

The previous two‑tier format, introduced in 2022‑23, split the nine teams into a “Tier‑1” of eight and a “Tier‑2” that included the remaining team, with promotion and relegation battles that added complexity to the standings. The new format will:

• Be a single, unified league – All twelve teams will compete against each other, either home or away, in a round‑robin structure.
• Reduce the need for extra qualification matches – The top two teams at the end of the cycle will automatically qualify for the WTC final.
• Streamline the points system – Points will be awarded in the same manner as before, with additional bonus points for batting and bowling performances.

The ICC has stated that the expanded league will still run within the same 12‑month window, from July 2023 to August 2024, but the total number of matches per team will increase from the current nine to around 16‑18 fixtures. This will deliver a richer calendar for fans while ensuring the series remains a highlight of the Test season.

Impact on Global Cricket

The expansion is expected to generate several ripple effects:

• Increased viewership – More matches featuring new nations should capture audiences in new markets, especially in the United States and Europe.
• Financial opportunities – Additional fixtures mean more broadcast rights, sponsorship, and merchandise sales, providing a boost for the ICC and national boards.
• Talent development – Young cricketers from the Netherlands and USA will gain invaluable experience against world‑class opposition, raising the overall standard of the game.

ICC President, Kristien Greeff, noted that the expansion “is part of a broader strategy to grow the sport beyond its traditional heartlands, bringing the spirit of Test cricket to new audiences.”

What’s Next?

The ICC will begin arranging the schedule for the 2023‑24 WTC in the coming weeks. National boards will be tasked with ensuring that logistics, player workload, and domestic scheduling accommodate the increased Test commitments. The governing body has also signaled that the expanded format will be reviewed after the 2024 cycle to determine whether a permanent 12‑team field is feasible or whether a smaller, more streamlined competition is preferable for the future.

For fans, the expansion means more high‑quality Test cricket on the calendar, a chance to see the United States and the Netherlands battle the sport’s legends, and a fresh, simplified story arc leading to the final. As the ICC continues to nurture the game’s global reach, the WTC’s growth to 12 teams is a decisive step toward making Test cricket a truly worldwide spectacle.