Indians Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (PTI photo)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved major changes to the formats of its major men’s tournaments, introducing a new structure for both the ODI and T20 World Cups while also endorsing a new global competition for associate nations ahead of the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup.These decisions were taken at the annual meetings of the ICC Board of Directors in Edinburgh based on the recommendations of the CEO Committee. According to the governing body, the changes aim to make matches more important than the opening stages, improve competitive standards and provide a better experience for players and fans.
The ICC Governing Council, which included three representatives from associate nations, also signed off on the qualification pathway for the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup.
New format for 14-team ODI World Cup
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will continue to feature 14 teams but will now follow a three-stage format before the knockout rounds.Under the revised structure, the three lowest-ranked qualifying teams (Teams 12, 13 and 14) will compete first in the “Premier Series” of the league system. The winner will join the remaining 11 teams in the next stage.The second round will consist of two groups of six teams, with each group playing in a league system.
The top three teams from each group, along with the next highest-placed team in both groups, will advance to the Super 7 stage.The Super 7 will feature one round featuring seven teams. The top four teams then qualify for the semi-finals, with the first in fourth place and the second in third place. The two winners will meet in the final.The ICC said the new format is designed to increase the importance of each match from the start of the tournament while preserving opportunities for emerging teams to compete on the biggest stage.
The T20 World Cup will feature the Super 10 and Eliminators
The 20-team ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will also undergo an overhaul.Instead of four groups of five teams, the opening stage will now include five groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the next stage, which has been expanded from the Super Eights to the Super 10.The Super 10 will feature two groups of five teams. The team that ranks first in each group will qualify directly to the semi-finals.The second-placed teams in each group will face the third-placed team from the opposite group in two elimination rounds. The winners of those matches will complete the semi-final squad.The revised structure increases the number of teams competing in the second stage from eight to 10, creating greater opportunities for emerging nations while ensuring stronger competition throughout the tournament, the ICC said.
The introduction of Eliminators is also expected to add importance to the closing matches of the Super 10 stage.
New qualification route for the 2028 T20 World Cup
The ICC has also approved the qualification system for the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup.Scotland will gain direct entry into the European Regional Final in recognition of the exceptional circumstances surrounding its participation in the 2026 tournament.Teams that played in the 2026 T20 World Cup but did not gain automatic qualification will advance directly to the global qualifiers.The remaining eight global qualifiers will be determined through regional qualification, with Africa, Asia and Europe each receiving two places, while the Americas and East Asia and Pacific regions will each receive one place.
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From the Global Qualifiers, the highest-placed team from each region, along with the next three best-performing teams overall, will qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup, subject to minimum performance criteria.
