England increases men’s central contracts to record 39

The expanded playing list includes 30 players on Central Contracts with a further nine players on England Development contracts for 2026/27. The 2025/26 list included a total of 30 contracted players. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

England has expanded its number of centrally ‌contracted players to a ​record 39, including 30 ⁠full contracts, the ECB said on Monday.

Former captain Ben Stokes ‌and fast bowler Mark Wood retired from internationals ‌this year, and opener ‌Zak ⁠Crawley and left-arm seamer ⁠Luke Wood did not get renewed contracts.

Uncapped seamer Henry Crocombe was ​awarded a ‌two-year deal as one of seven players added to England’s full-contract list for the ‌first time.

The expanded playing list includes 30 players on Central Contracts for 2026/27 📝 Full details here: https://t.co/t8PZMyeLFX https://t.co/FjgnjYqMnQ

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 12, 2026

Batter Jordan Cox ​and fast bowler Sonny Baker also received two-year ⁠deals, and Tom Banton, Sam Cook, Emilio Gay, Matthew ‌Fisher and Dan Lawrence earned one-year contracts. Seam bowler Ollie Robinson returned to the list after holding central contracts in 2022 and ‌2023.

England now has 11 players ​on two-year contracts, with Test captain Joe Root, ⁠one-day skipper Harry Brook, Jofra Archer ⁠and Jacob Bethell among nine whose deals ‌have been extended until September 2028.

England Men Centrally Contracted Players 2026–27

Joe Root* (Yorkshire)

Harry Brook* (Yorkshire)

Rehan​ Ahmed (Leicestershire)

Jofra Archer* (Sussex)

Gus Atkinson* (Surrey)

Sonny Baker* (Hampshire)

Tom Banton (Somerset)

Shoaib​ Bashir​ (Derbyshire)

Jacob Bethell* (Warwickshire)

Jos Buttler (Lancashire)

Brydon Carse (Durham)

Sam Cook (Essex)

Jordan Cox* (Essex)

Henry Crocombe* (Sussex/Surrey)

Sam Curran* (Surrey)

Liam Dawson (Hampshire)

Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)

Emilio Gay (Durham)

Matthew Fisher (Surrey)

Will Jacks* (Surrey)

Dan Lawrence (Surrey)

Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)