Zimbabwe to Receive Touring Fee for 2025 England Test Match

In a groundbreaking move, Zimbabwe will become the first team in modern cricket to receive a 'touring fee' from the hosts when they travel to England for a one-off Test match in the summer of 2025. This was confirmed by Richard Gould, the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), during an interview on Sky Sports.

Gould highlighted the need for a collective effort by all full member nations in cricket to eliminate revenue disparity and provide quality Test cricket for players and fans. He emphasized the responsibility of big cricketing nations like India, Australia, and England to ensure competitiveness in Test matches.

Traditionally, touring teams are responsible for their own travel expenses and are provided with accommodation by the host nation, but they do not receive a fee. However, starting next year, Zimbabwe will receive a fee for their tour to England.

The high and increasing costs of touring and hosting Test matches, especially in smaller countries with negligible broadcasting rights, have raised concerns about the sustainability of Test cricket. Earlier this year, Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO expressed concerns about the broken revenue-sharing model of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after a costly series against Australia.

Gould expressed sympathy for financially weaker boards like CWI and mentioned ongoing efforts to support them. He noted that the ECB had already played extra T20 matches in the West Indies to provide financial assistance and discussed future support for Under-19 tours to help develop young players.