ICC revamps Men’s ODI and T20 World Cups

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has confirmed changes for both the Men's Cricket World Cup and the qualification structure for the Men's T20 World Cup following its annual meetings.

The ICC insists the changes were made with “the objective of creating more meaningful contests, elevating competitive standards, strengthening the competitive structure of both events, and enhancing the tournament experience for athletes and fans.”

Among the approved recommendations is the qualification structure for associate member nations for the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup.

I. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

The Men's ODI World Cup will continue to feature 14 teams, but the revised format will entail a three-stage competition leading to the Finals. 

According to the governing body, the new format will ”strengthen the competitive narrative across every stage of the event.”

There will be two rounds of matches (Round 1 and Round 2) leading into a ‘Super 7 stage,' which will take the form of a round-robin, from which teams qualify for the semi-finals.

II. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

Meanwhile, the second stage of the Men’s T20 World Cup has been rebranded as the ‘Super 10’ with an increase in the number of teams qualifying for that stage, up from 8. ‘Eliminators’ have also been added, with the 2nd and 3rd-ranked teams from groups in the Super 10 stage competing against each other for spots in the semi-finals.

III. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualification structure

For the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028 qualification pathway, Scotland will enter directly into the Europe Regional Final, recognizing the exceptional circumstances surrounding its participation in the 2026 tournament. The remaining teams that competed at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but did not secure automatic qualification will advance directly to the Global Qualifier. The other eight places in the Global Qualifier will be filled through regional qualification, with two teams each qualifying from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and one team each from the Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions. The highest-placed team from each region at the Global Qualifier, together with the next three highest-placed teams overall, will qualify for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028, subject to minimum performance criteria.