Yorkshire Women will join the Tier 1 overhaul of the women’s professional game a year ahead of schedule.
Yorkshire have been told they will have to wait until 2027 to join an expanded women’s league.
But the England and Wales Cricket Board said that, subject to a series of conditions being met, the county would now achieve Tier 1 status in 2026 to provide greater certainty over the timing of the existing team as they begin contract negotiations for next summer from June 1. .
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The ECB has announced a new structure for women’s domestic cricket which will operate from 2025. Under the new ‘three-tier model’ there will be no promotion or relegation and Heather Knight believes this shows progression in women’s football.
The first tier will launch next year with eight clubs, with Yorkshire joining 12 months later and Glamorgan the following year. Between 2025 and 2028, the three levels will be “closed”, without promotion or relegation.
As a result, Yorkshire’s funding for 2026 will increase to £1.5 million per year and its introduction to tier one will be dependent on various conditions being met, focusing on governance, strategy and finance.
“Yorkshire’s desire to be in the top tier as soon as possible is clear and we believe this is the best decision for them, for the women’s game, and most importantly for the players as they enter a negotiation phase contractually, to provide as much certainty as possible we can know the introduction timetable for Yorkshire and Glamorgan,” said Beth Barrett-Wild, director of the women’s professional game at the ECB.
