📌 Ireland Push for India Tour Before England Series
Cricket Ireland (CI) is actively negotiating with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host a short white-ball series in 2026, just before India’s tour of England. If confirmed, this will be another massive opportunity for Ireland to showcase itself as a growing cricketing nation, attract record crowds, and generate crucial revenue.
India are scheduled to play five T20Is and three ODIs against England from July 1–19, 2026. CI hopes that the Indian team will make a stopover in Dublin for a limited-overs series, giving Ireland both valuable game time and financial support.
This move comes after a frustrating 2025 season for Ireland, where rain-affected games, lack of fixtures, and financial constraints left players like Paul Stirling openly disappointed.
In this Cricketory exclusive, we’ll break down:
- 🔎 Why India touring Ireland is so significant
- 💰 The financial & broadcast implications
- 📅 Ireland’s 2026–27 international schedule
- 🏟️ Venue challenges and the new Abbotstown stadium
- 🌍 Ireland’s place in ICC events & Test cricket ambitions
- 🏏 Cricketory Insights: Can Ireland use this to rise as a cricket power in Europe?
🇮🇪 Ireland’s Struggles with Fixture Scheduling
Ireland have faced major challenges balancing costs, scheduling, and competitiveness. In 2025 alone:
- They played just nine men’s internationals, four of which were washed out.
- High conversion costs of turning club venues into international-standard grounds limited hosting opportunities.
- Broadcast rights deals remain low-value compared to top nations, reducing CI’s financial flexibility.
Captain Paul Stirling didn’t mince words, admitting the team feels “underprepared” due to the lack of regular international fixtures. This reflects a bigger issue: Ireland risk falling behind in international cricket if they don’t play consistently.
🏏 India’s History of Touring Ireland
India have toured Ireland three times in the last seven years for T20I series:
- 2018 – 2-match T20I series at Malahide, with India winning both games.
- 2022 – Another short T20I stopover, which saw packed stadiums.
- 2023 – A thrilling 3-match T20I series that drew strong crowds and TV viewership.
Each of these tours was commercially successful, proving that India in Ireland guarantees sell-outs. Hosting India before their England tour in 2026 would not just prepare Ireland’s players but also inject millions into CI’s budget.
💰 Financial and Broadcast Impact of an India Tour
Let’s be clear – when India tours, the economics of cricket change.
Revenue Streams:
- 🎟️ Ticket Sales – Malahide has seen sell-outs for all India games, with fans traveling from across Europe.
- 📺 Broadcast Rights – India’s games fetch record deals, with broadcasters like Star Sports, Sony, and Viacom competing.
- 📢 Sponsorship – Major Indian brands often step in as sponsors, boosting CI’s financial health.
For a board like Cricket Ireland, which struggles with revenue generation, an India tour can fund domestic cricket, stadium development, and grassroots programs.
📅 Ireland’s 2026 & 2027 Future Tours Programme
According to the ICC FTP, Ireland already has a busy home schedule in 2026:
- 🏏 New Zealand – 1 Test
- 🏏 Bangladesh – 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is
- 🏏 Afghanistan – 1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is
On top of this, if India’s tour is confirmed, Ireland’s 2026 season could be its busiest ever. CI chair Brian MacNeice has stressed that 2026 will include Test cricket, multiple white-ball series, and preparation for the 2030 T20 World Cup, which Ireland will co-host with England and Scotland.
🏟️ Venue Challenges & The Abbotstown Project
Currently, Ireland hosts most international matches at Malahide (Dublin), but the costs of upgrading temporary facilities make hosting frequent matches difficult.
CI is pushing forward with the Abbotstown Stadium Project, a permanent international venue in Dublin. MacNeice confirmed that the stadium is “very much on track” and could transform Irish cricket’s hosting capabilities.
With India’s visit, CI can accelerate funding and sponsorship for Abbotstown, ensuring Ireland has a world-class stadium before 2030.
🌍 Ireland’s Growing Role in ICC Events
Ireland co-hosting the 2030 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with England and Scotland is already a big step. But CI is also advocating for:
- ✅ A two-division World Test Championship model to include emerging nations.
- ✅ More consistent fixtures against top-tier teams.
- ✅ Greater recognition as a competitive Test-playing nation.
Hosting India before their England tour would not just boost finances, but also strengthen their case within ICC politics.
🔎 Cricketory Insights – Why India Touring Ireland Matters
At Cricketory, we see this proposed India-Ireland series as more than just cricket matches. It represents:
- Financial Lifeline 💰 – One India series can fund Ireland’s cricket development for an entire year.
- Player Development 🏏 – Playing against India’s world-class stars will sharpen Ireland’s squad ahead of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and World Cup qualifiers.
- Fan Engagement 🎟️ – Sell-out crowds in Malahide energize the Irish fan base, keeping cricket relevant against rugby, football, and GAA.
- Geopolitical Cricket Growth 🌍 – Ireland positions itself as Europe’s cricket hub, especially ahead of the 2030 T20 World Cup.
👉 Our Analysis: If this series is finalized, it could be the most important bilateral engagement in Ireland’s cricketing history since gaining Test status in 2017.
⚡ The Road Ahead – Can Cricket Ireland Deliver?
While CI’s ambition is clear, challenges remain:
- 🌧️ Weather – frequent washouts risk losing ticket revenue.
- 💸 Finance – CI needs better broadcast deals to sustain growth beyond one-off tours.
- 🏟️ Infrastructure – the Abbotstown stadium is critical to future hosting.
- 🎯 Performance – Ireland must stay competitive to attract repeat tours.
Still, with ICC support, an India tour in 2026 could be the turning point for Irish cricket’s future.
📊 Conclusion – A Defining Moment for Irish Cricket
The possibility of India touring Ireland before their England series in 2026 is game-changing. Not only will it give Ireland’s cricketers much-needed exposure, but it will also bring in crucial financial resources, international visibility, and confidence ahead of major tournaments.
Cricket Ireland knows the stakes are high. By securing this tour, CI can prove that Ireland is not just a developing cricket nation, but a serious player in world cricket with the ambition to compete at the highest level.