ECB plans more five-Test home series against South Africa and Pakistan

England's men's team will host five-Test series against South Africa and Pakistan in the future FTP. The ECB balances this with one-off Tests overseas in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh alongside white-ball tours — a shift that supports World Test Championship expansion to 12 teams.

Longer home series mean bigger crowds, better revenues, and deeper rivalries. Five Tests allow teams to settle in, adapt, and prepare properly. Overseas one-offs fill gaps without bloating the calendar.

It's a fragmentation of sorts: nations are now protecting bilateral home strength over balanced tours. The ECB joins Australia and India in hosting multi-Test series regularly — a trend driven by T20 leagues draining attention and money from red-ball cricket. The WTC expansion sweetens the deal, but it's clear boards are choosing security at home over symmetry in the fixture list.