ICC FTP 2025-29 Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Ireland Combined Schedule — Decoded

The three newer Full Members of the ICC — Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland — share an FTP table that reflects their procedurally protected minimum Test allocation and the structural challenges of building bilateral programmes against Tier-1 oppositions. The 2025-29 cycle is the moment the three programmes either consolidate their Test status or accept structural decline.

Zimbabwe Test allocation

Zimbabwe's 2025-29 Test allocation is 11 Tests across the cycle. The home Tests include the Australia series in late 2025-26 (currently being played at Perth as a away series), the home Pakistan series in late 2027, and the home Sri Lanka series in early 2028. The away Tests include the away New Zealand tour in early 2026 and the away West Indies tour in late 2028.

Zimbabwe ODI allocation

Zimbabwe's 2025-29 ODI allocation is 18 ODIs. The cycle includes the ODI World Cup Qualifier 2027 which Zimbabwe must play to qualify for the ODI WC. The bilateral ODI count is structured around qualification preparation. The home ODI bilaterals include Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Zimbabwe T20I allocation

Zimbabwe's 2025-29 T20I allocation is 32 T20Is. The T20I count includes the build-up windows for two T20 World Cups. The home T20I bilaterals include Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh across the cycle.

Afghanistan Test allocation

Afghanistan's 2025-29 Test allocation is 9 Tests across the cycle. The home Tests are played at neutral venues, currently Greater Noida and Lucknow. The home Tests include the home Bangladesh series in late 2026, the home Sri Lanka series in early 2027, and the home Zimbabwe series in late 2028. The away Tests include the away Australia tour in early 2028 (one Test) and the away India tour in late 2026.

Afghanistan ODI allocation

Afghanistan's 2025-29 ODI allocation is 21 ODIs. The cycle includes preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027 qualification. The bilateral ODI count is structured around the Asia Cup 2027 and the WC qualification. The Afghanistan ODI programme is procedurally well-developed.

Afghanistan T20I allocation

Afghanistan's 2025-29 T20I allocation is 36 T20Is. The T20I count includes the build-up windows for two T20 World Cups. The Afghanistan T20I programme is procedurally well-developed and the white-ball senior pros are among the strongest in the associate-and-newer-Full-Member cohort.

Ireland Test allocation

Ireland's 2025-29 Test allocation is 8 Tests across the cycle. The home Tests are played at Clontarf, which is currently under an ICC pitch panel review after the May 2026 Zimbabwe Test. The home Tests include the home Afghanistan series in late 2026, the home West Indies series in mid-2027, and the home Pakistan series in late 2028. The away Tests include the away Sri Lanka tour in early 2028.

Ireland ODI allocation

Ireland's 2025-29 ODI allocation is 19 ODIs. The cycle includes the ODI World Cup Qualifier 2027 if Ireland needs to play it. The bilateral ODI count is structured around qualification preparation. The home ODI bilaterals include West Indies and Pakistan.

Ireland T20I allocation

Ireland's 2025-29 T20I allocation is 28 T20Is. The T20I count includes the build-up windows for two T20 World Cups. The home T20I bilaterals include West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe across the cycle.

The bilateral rotation pattern

The three programmes share a procedurally important bilateral rotation pattern. The newer Full Members play each other at least once across the cycle. The pattern protects the minimum Test allocation. The pattern is procedurally fragile because each programme depends on the other two to deliver the rotation.

The WC pathway

All three programmes have ODI World Cup Qualifier 2027 implications. Zimbabwe and Ireland are likely Qualifier participants. Afghanistan is more likely to qualify automatically. The Qualifier itself sits inside the cycle. The Qualifier is the procedural test of whether the three programmes can compete at ODI World Cup level.

The venue and pitch constraints

All three programmes face venue and pitch constraints. Zimbabwe's venues are well-established but funding-constrained. Afghanistan's home venues are neutral and procedurally complicated. Ireland's Clontarf venue is under pitch panel review. The venue constraints are the structural risk to the Test programme for all three.

The funding question

All three programmes face funding constraints. The ICC funding cycle for the cycle is mid-cycle. The Cricket Scotland funding cut sets a procedural precedent for newer Full Members. The funding question is whether the newer Full Members can sustain Test cricket programmes at the current allocation level. The 2027-31 funding cycle will be the moment of decision.

What this means for fans

For fans of the three newer Full Members, the practical answer is that the 2025-29 cycle delivers minimum Test cricket across the three programmes, plus the ODI World Cup Qualifier 2027 and the Champions Trophy 2029 build-up. The commercial peak for all three is the home series against Tier-2 oppositions. The cricket peak is the bilateral rotation among themselves.

What to watch next: whether the ICC AGM accepts the Cricket Scotland reform ask and creates a transition fund that protects rising newer Full Members from year-on-year cuts of more than 5 percent, because that procedural fix is the only thing that protects the Test programmes of Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland from structural decline across the 2027-31 cycle.

Related coverage

• the 2026-27 international calendar
• WTC Final cycle
• Afghanistan Tri Series Uae Zimbabwe
• Ireland Test Vs Zimbabwe 2026