ICC Revamps Formats for 2027 Cricket World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved significant changes to the formats of the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup and the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup, introducing new competition structures aimed at increasing competitiveness and creating more meaningful matches throughout both tournaments.

The governing body announced the changes following its board meetings over the weekend, saying the revised formats are intended to improve the quality of competition while enhancing the experience for players and fans.

“The changes were introduced to create more meaningful contests, elevate competitive standards, strengthen the competitive structure of both events, and enhance the tournament experience for athletes and fans,” the ICC said.

New format for 2027 Cricket World Cup

The 2027 Cricket World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will feature 14 teams and introduce a preliminary qualification stage before the main competition.

In the opening round, the teams finishing 12th, 13th and 14th in the qualification standings will compete in a “Super Series.” The winner will advance to the main tournament, joining the other 11 qualified teams.

The group stage will consist of two groups of six teams. The top three teams from each group, along with the best-performing fourth-placed side, will qualify for the newly created Super 7 stage.

During the Super 7 phase, each team will play six matches in a round-robin format. The top four teams will progress to the semifinals, where the first-ranked team will face the fourth-ranked side, while the second and third-placed teams will meet in the other semifinal.

The ICC said the revised structure has been designed to maintain competitive interest throughout every stage of the tournament.

Australia will enter the event as defending champions after winning the 2023 World Cup by defeating India in Ahmedabad.

Changes to the 2028 T20 World Cup

The 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will feature 20 teams.

The tournament’s opening phase will include five groups of four teams, replacing the previous format of four groups containing five teams each. The top two teams from every group will qualify for the Super 10 stage.

The Super 10 will feature two groups of five teams playing a round-robin schedule. The winners of each group will qualify directly for the semifinals.

The remaining two semifinal places will be decided through a newly introduced eliminator round. In those matches, the second-placed team from each Super 10 group will play the third-placed team from the opposite group, with the winners advancing to the final four.

Twelve teams have already secured places at the 2028 tournament based on their performances in the 2026 T20 World Cup and ICC rankings. Those teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

The remaining eight places will be determined through a 16-team global qualifying tournament. The United States, Canada, Italy, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have already qualified automatically for that event, while Scotland has earned direct entry into the Europe regional final.