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Explained: Revamped format of ODI and T20 World Cups
15 Jul 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced major changes to the formats for its marquee men's events - the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup.

The changes, unveiled after the ICC's annual meetings in Edinburgh, were recommended by the Development and Chief Executives' Committee.

They will be officially approved after a review by the ICC's Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee in November this year.

Men's ODI World Cup to feature 14 teams
Format change

The Men's ODI World Cup will now feature four rounds, including a new round-robin "Super Series" round before the group stage.

The tournament will see the participation of 14 teams, an increase from the 10 that participated in the last two editions (2019 and 2023).

Round 1 will be played among teams ranked 12th to 14th, with only one team progressing to Round 2 along with 11 qualified teams.

Round-robin Super 7
New stages

Round 2 will see two groups of six, with the top three from each group and one next highest-placed team across both groups qualifying for a round-robin "Super 7."

This replaces the previous format's Super 6 as the pathway to semi-finals.

The top four teams will qualify for semis, with matches scheduled between Teams ranked first and fourth, and those ranked second and third, respectively.

Changes in Men's T20 World Cup
Format evolution

The Men's T20 World Cup will now see an increase in the number of teams from eight to 10 in the second stage.

The tournament will begin with 20 teams divided into five groups of four each.

Two teams from each group will progress to the next round, where a "Super 10" replaces the previous "Super 8," with two groups of five each.

IPL-like eliminator matches to be introduced
Match changes

After the top team from each group directly qualifies for the semi-finals, two IPL-like Eliminator matches will be played between second-placed teams and third-placed teams in opposite groups.

After these matches, the two semi-finals will be held, followed by the final.

The ICC has also confirmed changes to qualification pathways for the 2028 T20 World Cup, with Scotland gaining direct entry into Europe's Regional Final.

How will the remaining eight spots be filled?
Qualification process

The rest of the teams, which featured in the 2026 edition but did not secure automatic qualification for 2028, will go through the Global Qualifier.

The remaining eight spots in this qualifier will be filled through regional qualification tournaments in Africa, Asia, Europe, Americas, and East Asia-Pacific regions.

The highest-placed team from each region, as well as the next three best-placed teams overall, will qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup.