Yorkshire Women are to join the first-tier revamp of the women’s professional game a year earlier than originally planned.
Yorkshire have been told they must wait until 2027 to join the expanded Women’s League.
But the England and Wales Cricket Board said the county will now gain Tier 1 status in 2026, subject to a number of conditions being met, to help provide greater certainty to the timetables for existing teams sex, as they will enter next summer’s contract negotiations from June 1.
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The ECB has announced a new structure for women’s domestic cricket, to be operational from 2025.
League One will be launched next year with eight clubs, with Yorkshire FC joining 12 months later and Glamorgan the following year. Between 2025 and 2028, all three levels will be “off” with no promotion or relegation.
As a result, Yorkshire’s funding will increase to £1.5 million per annum by 2026, while entry into Tier 1 will be subject to compliance with various conditions and a focus on governance, strategy and finance.
“Yorkshire’s desire to become part of League One 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 entering contract negotiations. Provide them with as much certainty as possible.
