Cricket Ireland has revealed its central contract list for the 2026-27 season, awarding deals to a total of 48 players across the senior men’s and women’s squads. The announcement includes 25 players in the men’s squad and 23 in the women’s squad, providing crucial financial stability and support as Ireland prepares for a busy international calendar.
The contracts run through the 2026-27 period and are designed to help players stay fully focused on representing Ireland on the global stage.
Key highlights of the 2026-27 central contract structure
Cricket Ireland has maintained a flexible approach with different types of contracts tailored to players needs:
Men’s contracts (25 players total)
- 20 full-time contracts
- 5 retainer contracts
Women’s contracts (23 players total)
- 8 full-time contracts
- 10 education contracts (six of these will transition to full-time during the year)
- 5 casual contracts
This structure allows several women players to balance their cricket commitments with education and work placements, while still being available for key matches, especially the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup.
Full list of centrally contracted players
Ireland Men (25 players): Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie (Test captain), Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little, Tom Mayes, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Liam McCarthy, Jordan Neil, Paul Stirling (ODI captain), Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Reuben Wilson, Craig Young.
Ireland Women (23 players): Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Laura Delany, Sarah Forbes, Abbi Harrison, Amy Hunter, Jennifer Jackson, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis (ODI and T20I captain), Louise Little, Joanna Loughran, Aimee Maguire, Jane Maguire, Lara McBride, Kia McCartney, Ellie McGee, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector.
Seven new men’s entrants: Ben, Jordan, Tom, Tim, and Cade all earned their spots on the back of senior international appearances in 2025. Reuben and Hollard were rewarded for standout domestic performances, with Wilson’s contribution during the Under-19 World Cup cycle also playing a role in his selection.
Five men not retained: Cricket Ireland confirmed that five players from the previous cycle have not been offered contracts for 2026-27. No names were officially disclosed, but the board acknowledged the difficulty of these decisions, given the personal sacrifices each player had made.
Sophie MacMahon retires: The experienced player from the women’s team has stepped away from the game entirely, bringing her contracted career to a close.
Freya Sargent steps away: Sargent has opted out of international cricket, removing herself from the women’s contract list.
No new women’s entrants: Unlike the men’s side, the women’s squad sees no fresh additions to the contracted group this season. The focus instead has been on consolidating the existing pool ahead of the T20 World Cup.
T20 World Cup commitment: The decision by Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Amy Hunter, and Rebecca Stokell to defer education and work placements to commit fully to the summer schedule is perhaps the most significant individual storyline of this contract cycle. It reflects a group that is fully locked in on making the T20 World Cup count.
