KARACHI -UNS : The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved significant changes to the formats of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, introducing new competition structures aimed at increasing competitiveness and ensuring greater significance for every match.
The decisions were finalized during the ICC Board’s annual meetings in Edinburgh, where recommendations from the Chief Executives’ Committee were endorsed to enhance the tournament experience for players, fans, and participating nations.
New ODI World Cup Structure
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will continue to feature 14 teams but will now adopt a three-stage format before the knockout rounds.
Under the revised system, the teams ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th will first compete in a round-robin “Super Series,” with the winner progressing to the main tournament.
The second stage will consist of two groups of six teams each. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-performing team across both groups, will advance to a newly created “Super 7” round.
The Super 7 stage will be played in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The first-ranked team will face the fourth-ranked side, while the second-ranked team will meet the third-ranked team, with the winners advancing to the final.
According to the ICC, the new structure is designed to make every match more meaningful while providing emerging cricket nations with greater opportunities to compete at the highest level.
T20 World Cup Gets New Format
The ICC also approved major changes to the Men’s T20 World Cup while retaining the 20-team tournament.
The group stage will now feature five groups of four teams, replacing the previous format of four groups of five teams. The top two teams from each group will progress to a new “Super 10” stage.
The Super 10 phase will consist of two groups of five teams each. Group winners will qualify directly for the semi-finals.
A new Eliminator round will determine the remaining semi-finalists, with the second-placed team from one Super 10 group facing the third-placed team from the other group. The winners of the Eliminator matches will secure the final two semi-final spots.
The ICC said the revised structure was influenced by the strong performances of emerging teams during the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and is intended to keep more teams in contention deeper into the competition.
New Tournament for Associate Nations
The ICC Board also endorsed plans for a new 16-team global tournament exclusively for Associate Member nations. The proposed competition is expected to be held ahead of future Men’s T20 World Cups to strengthen competitive standards and provide Associate teams with a major international platform.
The proposal remains subject to final approval by the ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee later this year.
Qualification Pathway for 2028 T20 World Cup
The Board also approved the qualification process for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Scotland will receive direct entry into the Europe Regional Final due to exceptional circumstances related to its participation in the 2026 tournament. Teams that competed in the 2026 T20 World Cup but failed to secure automatic qualification for 2028 will advance directly to the Global Qualifier.
The remaining eight Global Qualifier places will be determined through regional tournaments, with two teams each qualifying from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and one team each from the Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions.
The highest-ranked team from each region at the Global Qualifier, along with the next three best-performing teams overall, will secure places in the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, subject to meeting minimum performance requirements.
The ICC said the reforms are aimed at creating more competitive tournaments, increasing opportunities for emerging nations, and enhancing the overall global appeal of international cricket.
