Following annual meetings held in Edinburgh, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced comprehensive changes to the formats of its premier men's tournaments. These modifications are intended to strengthen competitive structures, create more meaningful contests, and elevate the overall experience for both athletes and fans.
The Men's ODI World Cup will expand to feature 14 teams, returning to the number of participants seen in the 2015 edition, following ten-team formats in 2019 and 2023. The competition will now consist of four rounds. Round 1 will involve teams 12, 13, and 14, with the top performer advancing to join the other 11 teams in Round 2. This second stage will be split into two groups of six. The top three teams from each group, plus the next highest-placed team overall, will progress to a Super 7 round-robin stage. This replaces the previous Super 6 format and serves as the gateway to the semi-finals, where the top four teams will face off in 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 matchups.
Significant changes are also arriving for the Men's T20 World Cup, which will now see an increase from 8 to 10 teams in its second stage. The tournament will begin with 20 teams divided into five groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing. A new Super 10 stage will follow, consisting of two groups of five. The top team from each group will secure a direct path to the semi-finals, while the second and third-placed teams will compete in two IPL-style Eliminator matches to determine the remaining semi-finalists.
Updates to the 2028 T20 World Cup qualification pathway were also finalized. Scotland has been granted direct entry into the Europe Regional Final. Teams that participated in the 2026 edition but failed to qualify automatically will proceed to a Global Qualifier. Eight additional spots in the Global Qualifier will be determined via regional qualification across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and East Asia-Pacific. The top-placed team from each region, plus the next three highest-placed teams, will join the 12 teams that qualified directly to complete the 20-team field.
While these formats have been recommended by the Development and Chief Executives' Committee and endorsed by the ICC, they remain subject to final approval by the ICC's Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee in November of this year.
