The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an increase in the number of teams for the Women’s Emerging Trophy, moving from eight to ten teams for the 2026 edition. The inaugural event took place in November 2025, and the next edition is scheduled for November 2026.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland will represent the five Test-playing nations, while the other participants include the Netherlands, Scotland, Thailand, the UAE, and Papua New Guinea (PNG). This expansion was one of the main outcomes from the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting held online on May 21.
Thailand enters the 2026 tournament as the defending champion, having won the trophy in Bangkok. The previous edition featured hosts Thailand and teams from Scotland, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, Uganda, and Tanzania in an eight-team format from November 20-30. Thailand, the UAE, Scotland, and the Netherlands ended with the same points, but Thailand was declared champion based on net run rate.
According to reports, the meeting did not cover topics related to men’s cricket, such as changes to the World Test Championship (WTC) or the proposed two-tier Test system. These discussions are slated for the ICC Board meeting on May 30 in Ahmedabad.
The CEC focused on the ICC’s aim to enhance women’s cricket as the leading women’s sport globally, especially after the success of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, marked by record-breaking viewership.
The CEC also received a presentation from McKinsey & Company, which provided new strategies for developing women’s cricket and increasing revenue for the sport significantly. Additionally, Oliver Wyman shared insights on a potential data monetisation project that could generate at least $100 million in revenue.