first class county

ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it will helm the creation of a three-tiered domestic competition structure and embrace an ownership model to evolve the women’s professional game.

Under this plan to revamp women’s domestic cricket system in the country, the existing eight women’s regional teams will evolve to be professional ‘Tier 1 Clubs’ – each owned, governed, and operated by an individual First Class County (FCC) or Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

These eight clubs will compete in the top level of an expanded three-tiered women’s domestic structure – participating in the ECB’s women’s professional T20 and 50-over competitions – from the 2025 season.