New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced major changes to the formats of the 2027 ODI World Cup and the 2028 T20 World Cup, introducing additional stages to make the tournaments more competitive and meaningful from the opening match.
The decisions were approved at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh.
The 2027 ODI World Cup, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will continue to feature 14 teams but will now follow a three-stage format. A new Super Series round will involve the teams qualifying 12th to 14th, with only the top side advancing to the next stage.
The second stage will have 12 teams split into two groups of six. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best team overall, will qualify for the newly introduced Super 7 stage, replacing the earlier planned Super 6. The top four teams from the Super 7 will progress to the semifinals.
The ICC said the revised structure would ensure “greater context, competitiveness and consequence” throughout the tournament.
Ten teams will qualify automatically, including hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, while Namibia, an Associate member, will have to qualify. The remaining places will be decided through a global qualifier. The 2028 T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will replace the Super 8 with a Super 10 stage. After the group phase, 10 teams will advance and be divided into two groups of five. Group winners will qualify directly for the semifinals, while second and third-placed teams will contest eliminators for the remaining semifinal spots.