England announce updated Men's Central Contracts for 2025-26

A total of 30 players have been awarded England Central Contracts for the 2025-26 season which include 14 two-year contracts, 12 one-year deals and four development contracts.

The number of two-year contracts has doubled from the 2024-25 cycle, which had featured only seven.

The new multi-year contract system was introduced last year.

Sonny Baker, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, and Luke Wood have been awarded central contracts for the first time.

One of the most notable inclusions in the two-year central contract is of 22-year-old Jacob Bethell, who has been rewarded following his impressive performances for England over the past year. The Warwickshire all-rounder was previously on a development deal and has now been promoted after a strong run of form across formats.

Bethell made his senior debut in a T20I against Australia in September 2024 and later became England’s youngest men’s captain during the T20I series against Ireland, where he led the team to two victories.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer’s contract has also been upgraded from a one-year to a two-year deal following his successful return from long-term injuries. The 14 players with two-year contracts will see their contracts run till 30 September 2027, whereas the one-year contracts run till 30 September of next year.

Rob Key, Managing Director of England's Men's Cricket, believed the multi-year contracts would help manage player workloads and future planning.

"This year’s central contract group reflects the depth and strength of talent we have across England Men’s cricket.

“We have awarded two-year deals to our multi-format players, so we can manage their workloads responsibly and give them the stability they need to perform across formats.

“We have also secured a number of white-ball players on longer agreements to help us plan effectively around the growing franchise calendar and ensure England remains their priority."

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