ECB confirms formation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 in women’s domestic structure

The ECB has also announced today the formation of a knock-out cup competition consisting of teams from all three tiers.

The Kia Oval in London is seen during the fourth T20 International between New Zealand and England Saturday. | Photo Credit: AP

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the formation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 in the revamped women’s domestic cricket structure, to be launched in full in 2025.

Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Worcestershire and Yorkshire will make up Tier 2 in the 2025 season.

The ten Counties will play 50-over and 20-over cricket, with further information to follow on the competition structure and 2025 schedule.

Many counties can breathe a sigh of relief after just days back, the ECB was not acknowledging applications from nine of them to play in the second tier, as reported by The Guardian.

It signifies the next step in the evolution of the women’s professional domestic game, with Tier 1 having been announced earlier this year. The plans unveiled to this point equate to eight million pounds new funding per year being invested into women’s domestic cricket by 2027 – taking annual investment in this area to approximately 19 million pounds.

The newly proposed Tier 2 and Tier 3 women’s domestic structure by the England and Wales Cricket Board. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Tier 3 status will be awarded to all National Counties who would like to participate in the new Tier 3 competitions from 2025.

Yorkshire will become a Tier 1 Club for the 2026 season, subject to meeting a series of conditions, and Glamorgan will join Tier 1 in 2027. The ECB has also set the ambition to expand Tier 1 to 12 teams by 2029.

For the duration of the 2025-2028 seasons all three tiers will be ‘closed’, with no promotion or relegation.

A new knockout Cup tournament

The ECB has also announced today the formation of a knock-out cup competition consisting of teams from all three tiers.

The aim of the cup competition is to provide all Counties with the opportunity to compete against each other, play at some of the country’s biggest venues, and give players across the pyramid the chance to test their skills on an elevated platform.

It is anticipated that the cup competition will be launched in 2025, alongside the establishment the three-tiered structure.

“It’s exciting to see the three tiers finalised,” said Beth Barrett-Wild, the Director of the Women’s Professional Game. “It brings the new landscape of women’s professional domestic cricket one step closer. From next summer we will see up to 39 Counties competing across the new structure, which will both accommodate the growth and accelerate the depth of the women’s professional game – on and off the field.