ECB name Tier 2 teams in new women's domestic competition

Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Worcestershire and Yorkshire will form the second tier of the new domestic women's competitions in England and Wales from next year.

The ten Tier 2 counties will play 50-over and 20-over cricket, with details of the competition structure and schedule for 2025 yet to be announced. Tier 3 status will be awarded to all National Counties who would like to participate in the new competitions at that level from 2025.

With all three tiers to be closed from between the 2025 and 2028 seasons, with no promotion or relegation, the ECB also announced on Thursday a knock-out cup competition consisting of teams from all three tiers, giving all counties a chance to compete against each other. It is anticipated that the cup competition will be launched in 2025, alongside the establishment of the three-tiered structure.

Earlier this year, the ECB announced that Durham, Essex, Surrey, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset and Warwickshire would play in Tier 1 of the new competitions starting in 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 also aims to expand Tier 1 to 12 teams by 2029.

Beth Barrett-Wild, director of the women's professional game, said: "It's exciting to see the three tiers finalised. 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.

"We shouldn't underestimate how big this step is for women's cricket and indeed the whole game; a thriving and sustainable women's domestic pyramid underneath the Hundred and England Women, with more professional female players, increased investment, and enhanced alignment across the men's and women's game, is a huge step forward for cricket."

Under the plans, £8m in new funding per year will be invested in women's domestic cricket by 2027 - taking annual investment in this area to about £19m.