Why Did ICC Scrap Plans for CLT20-Style Global Competition After 'Big Three' Opposition? Explained
Synopsis
The ICC’s plan for a global franchise T20 tournament was blocked by the BCCI, ECB and CA, who cited an overcrowded cricket calendar. The ‘Big Three’ said the packed Future Tours Programme leaves no room for another inter-league championship.
The International Cricket Council (ICC)’s dream of introducing a global franchise T20 tournament, similar to the old Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20), has hit a major roadblock after pushback from three major cricket boards: the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA).
The Champions League T20 was discontinued after the 2014 season, which saw Chennai Super Kings defeat Kolkata Knight Riders in the final to clinch their second title. Since 2015, the tournament has remained defunct amid a congested cricket calendar, declining television viewership, and significant financial challenges.
With the growing T20 Leagues across the world, the Champions League T20I had to be put off for over a decade, as the already overcrowded global calendar left zero vacant windows for an inter-league tournament.
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Why ICC Wants to Revive Global Franchise Cricket?
The T20 Leagues around the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Big Bash League (BBL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and Caribbean Premier League, conduct the tournaments independently by their respective country boards rather than under governing body control.
However, the IPL has received a two-month window in the annual cricket calendar, meaning no bilateral series or international tournaments will take place during the period. The ICC only governs global tournaments and international events under its direct jurisdiction, leaving the regulation of domestic franchise leagues entirely to individual member boards.
According to a report by The Guardian, the ICC saw an opportunity to explore new commercial avenues and maximize revenue growth by replicating the FIFA Club World Cup on a global scale. Since the governing body of cricket doesn’t earn anything from the franchise T20 leagues, launching an inter-league tournament was viewed as a lucrative pathway to assert financial control
ICC's plan to introduce a "World Club Championship" in the next FTP has been dropped following opposition from the Big 3.
BCCI, ECB & CA are adamant that there is no space in the FTP calendar for an additional event.
(via The Guardian) https://t.co/6fdd1b1jPY
— Ragav X (@ragav_x) October 5, 2026
If the ICC were to launch its own global T20 tournament amid a cramped international calendar and a saturated market of domestic franchise leagues, it would risk destabilising the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and overwhelming players already stretched to their limits by year-round commitments.
With global tournaments like the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy taking place every few years under a relentless ICC cycle, the governing body's ambitions for a new club-level T20 championship have collided with an immovable calendar wall, leaving the future of global franchise crossovers on indefinite hold.
Why ‘Big Three’ Opposed ICC’s Global T20 Ambitions?
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is not just an independent organisation but the top three boards- the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA)- wield immense financial leverage and control over bilateral schedules.
According to The Guardian, the opinion of the ‘Big Three’ is that there is no room in the already crowded cricket calendar for an additional global franchise T20 tournament. They reportedly believe that any such competition could only be accommodated by reducing the number of existing ICC events, including the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy.
Moreover, the upcoming Future Tours Programme for the 2027-2031 cycle is already packed with marquee bilateral series, two T20 World Cups (2028 and 2030), the 2029 Champions Trophy, and the 2031 ODI World Cup, leaving virtually no margin for external cross-franchise disruptions.
Reportedly, the ICC is set to lose a share of commercial revenue when the new media rights are introduced, and thus, it wants to introduce more tournaments to offset potential income stagnation by introducing new properties into the global market.
Since the Indian broadcasters' intense financial windfall and scaled-back advertising returns from major international broadcast contracts, the ICC was looking to explore new avenues and grow the game. However, the big three’s refusal to accept any calendar disruptions or cede authority over their commercial windows ultimately blocked the governing body's path.
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