World Cup ODI and T20 cricket format changes announced by ICC with 12-team main group stage for 2027 | cricket news

The ICC has announced new structures for next year’s 50-over tournament, including the creation of new ‘Super Series’ and ‘Super 7’ rounds for its two men’s World Cup tournaments.

World cricket’s governing body said the changes, which were approved at its annual board meeting in Edinburgh, are designed to “improve the competitiveness and results” of its men’s flagship global events.

The first change will take effect at the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October-November next year.

While the tournament will have 14 teams as previously planned, the three lowest-ranked teams will now face each other in the ‘Super Series’ round with only the top teams advancing to the main 12-team group stage.

The top three teams from each main group, and the next best-placed team across both, will then qualify for a new ‘Super 7’ round.

Two of the four teams from Super 7 will then advance to the semi-finals.

An ICC statement said: “The structure is designed to strengthen the competitive narrative at every stage of the event, with Round 1 and Round 2 matches bearing high stakes witnessing a highly competitive Super 7 stage where 7 qualifying teams will qualify for the semi-finals in a round-robin stage.

“Increased results and increased competitive intensity promise to enhance the overall experience for fans while providing opportunities for emerging teams to compete on cricket’s biggest stage.”

An extra team in the round-robin stage raises the possibility of an extra match between India and Pakistan, the game’s most lucrative match and one the ICC is always keen to favor as rival boards refuse to play each other in a bilateral competition.

What is changing in T20 World Cup?

There are also format changes for the next edition of the T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2028.

Although there will still be 20 nations involved from the start, the number of teams competing in the second phase of the tournament will increase from eight to 10, with the phase being renamed the Super 10.

And, in a further twist, while the top team in each of the two groups advances to the semi-finals, the second-placed teams play a new ‘eliminator’ match against the third-placed team from the opposite group to decide the remaining two final-four spots.

“It promises to expand the representation of cricket’s emerging nations in the Super 10 phase and deliver higher competitive standards,” the ICC said.

“The addition of ‘Eliminators’ where the second and third ranked teams from the group in the Super 10 phase compete against each other for a spot in the semi-finals, then adds significant ramifications to the final matches of the Super 10 phase.

Scotland, meanwhile, have been told they must compete in the European qualifying tournament – they are the only team that took part in the 2026 edition who must be relegated to a regional qualifier.

A new ‘marquee’ event for partner nations has also been proposed but awaits final approval in November.