ECB prepares for financial loss despite home Ashes in 2027

The ECB could lose £50m in 2027, the Guardian reported on Friday. The England and Wales Cricket Board had already warned in its published accounts that hosting Australia for the Ashes would not prevent a loss in that season.

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The importance of India's visits helps explain that outlook. AFP's May reporting, carried by the Daily Star, described the lucrative overseas television market surrounding the Indian team. England's five-Test home series against India in 2025 finished 2-2 and occupied all 25 scheduled days, supporting both broadcasting income and ticket sales.

The ECB's accounts for the year ending 31 January 2026 recorded turnover of £408.9m and an after-tax profit of £12.6m before Hundred team sales and related adjustments. The financial statement explicitly linked the expected 2027 downturn to a summer without a home men's series against India.

Funding commitments extend across several seasons. Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation's published 2025-29 strategy describes a 31% increase in investment into the county network over four years, amounting to £512m. That commitment provides context for the gap between the governing body's fluctuating income and the funding directed into domestic cricket.

The Hundred transactions are a separate part of the financial picture. AFP reported that profits of £522.3m from sales of stakes in the eight franchises were ring-fenced for investment within English cricket. Several buyers had links to the Indian Premier League; those proceeds were not simply recurring income from international fixtures.

Spending also rose in the reporting year. The ECB accounts show administrative expenditure of £302.3m, up £43m. They identify increased distributions to professional and recreational counties, the new women's professional structure, improved player remuneration and inflation among the causes. Costs associated with selling Hundred stakes also contributed to that increase.

The board's reserve policy aims to cushion the financial impact if a touring side fails to fulfil a scheduled series. Its accounts set an £80m reserve target by the end of 2028, excluding Hundred sales and unrealised foreign-exchange movements.