England and Wales Cricket Board Forecasts Losses of Up to £50m in 2027
The England and Wales Cricket Board is forecasting a deficit next year that could reach £50m, according to The Guardian.
According to an exclusive report by Matt Hughes in The Guardian, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is forecasting losses of "tens of millions of pounds" next year, despite hosting the Ashes series against Australia. The report said county executives were told last week that the deficit could be as large as £50m.
The Guardian reported that the anticipated shortfall follows a profit of £12.6m posted in 2025. Its summary indicates that the shortfall is due to a cause that the available text does not finish describing, so the reason for the forecast cannot be confirmed from this report.
The Guardian also reported concern among counties about the projected deficit, citing their reliance on ECB funding. It reported optimism that the eventual figure could be reduced to £35m. The summary does not say who expressed that optimism or on what basis.
No other outlet's coverage was available for comparison, so the figures above rest on a single report. The final figure for next year has not been confirmed in the material reviewed here, and the ECB's own statement on the forecast is not described in the available text.
Sources: The Guardian: ECB forecasting losses of up to £50m in 2027 despite visit of Australia for the Ashes.