ICC Annual General Meeting 2025 held in Singapore
The 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Cricket Council (ICC) took place in Singapore from July 18 to 21, bringing together chairmen and CEOs from cricketing nations across the globe. The meeting addressed formal matters including financial reporting, committee elections, and strategic planning sessions involving both Full Members and Associate nations.
Guido Landheer, chairman of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB), represented the Netherlands and played a key role in Associate-level discussions during the event.
Associate nations granted equal ICC voting rights
A landmark development at this year’s AGM was the elimination of the distinction between ‘voting’ and ‘non-voting’ Associate Members. All Associate nations will now have equal voting rights within the ICC—an important step toward greater parity in global cricket governance.
Funding volatility for high-performing Associates raised by Netherlands
The Netherlands, alongside Scotland and other nations, raised concerns about funding instability for high-performing Associates. The current model heavily relies on World Cup qualification, which makes long-term planning difficult for ambitious but under-resourced cricketing countries.
Landheer, advised in advance by the KNCB Finance Committee, advocated for greater financial stability and more predictable match scheduling from the ICC. As a result, it was agreed that the Netherlands and other countries will prepare a formal paper on the issue for further ICC discussion.
Development insights and collaborative planning
Workshops and sessions throughout the AGM highlighted global efforts in cricket development and women’s cricket. One example used was the Tri-Series for the Women’s T20 Qualifier, which demonstrated how to engage youth audiences effectively—earning kudos for VCC and the Dutch federation office.
Landheer also engaged in discussions with several Full and Associate Members, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Ireland, and others. Topics included potential bilateral and multilateral competitions, as well as deeper cooperation within the ICC framework.
Global unity and future ambition
The ICC AGM once again served as a platform for open dialogue and shared ambition. “It was a wonderful and convivial reunion,” noted participants, “of chairmen and CEOs united in their commitment to the growth of our beautiful sport.”
Editor’s note: Although the Cricket Netherlands (KNCB) press release above states that: “A landmark development at this year’s AGM was the elimination of the distinction between ‘voting’ and ‘non-voting’ Associate Members” — cricexec’s understanding is that this may not be accurate. The proposal has been put forward by the Associate Nations (as it was last year), but has not been approved by the Board and implemented yet.
