The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially shelved plans to introduce a World Club Championship or additional multilateral tournaments until at least 2031. This decision follows a series of informal discussions between the ICC and its member boards, culminating in a cricket operations workshop held in Dubai last week. The workshop concluded without any proposals for new events, effectively maintaining the status quo for the next Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle, which runs from 2027 to 2031.

According to reports, the primary obstacle to these new tournament plans was resistance from the 'Big Three' cricket nations: England, Australia, and India. These boards reportedly objected to the expansion of the international calendar, leading the ICC to mirror the current FTP structure for the next cycle. While the World Club Championship is off the table for the foreseeable future, the ICC is still considering potential adjustments to the existing schedule, specifically regarding the expansion of the World Test Championship. The outcome reflects the significant influence that the boards of England, Australia, and India hold over the global governance of the sport, as their lack of support effectively halted the ICC's expansionist agenda.