The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially unveiled the inaugural ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 20 to 30 November 2025. This landmark tournament marks a major step in the ICC’s long-term strategy to advance women’s cricket among Associate Member nations and strengthen the global development pathway.
A Tournament Designed to Boost Emerging Women’s Cricket Nations
Eight Associate Member teams—Thailand, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, United Arab Emirates, Scotland, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda—will compete in a single round-robin format, ensuring each team faces every other side once. Matches will be hosted across two venues: the Terdthai Cricket Ground and the Asian Institute of Technology Ground in Bangkok.
The ICC highlighted that the creation of this competition follows the overwhelming global response to the recent Women’s Cricket World Cup, which attracted over 500 million viewers in India and nearly 300,000 spectators across venues in India and Sri Lanka. This strong engagement has been a key factor in accelerating the expansion of women’s cricket initiatives worldwide.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta emphasized that the tournament aligns with “the ICC and the Chair’s vision to sustainably expand cricket’s footprint across the world and grow the women’s game.” He added that increased visibility at this level plays a vital role in inspiring young girls to take up the sport and motivating women already in development systems to stay committed to their cricketing pathways.
Part of a New Three-Tier Development Structure
The Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy will serve as the top tier of a newly introduced three-tier system aimed at elevating women’s cricket among Associate nations. As part of this broader structure, the ICC confirmed the launch of the Women’s Challenge Trophy in 2026, featuring five teams—one from each ICC development region—that are not included in the Emerging Nations event.
Additionally, an eight-team tournament is planned for 2027, which will see selected Associate nations compete against stronger, higher-ranked sides. The official name of this competition is expected to be announced at a later date.
The introduction of these tournaments reflects a strategic effort by the ICC to create more opportunities, competitive exposure, and long-term development pathways for emerging women’s cricket teams around the world.
