The International Cricket Council is considering a series of significant changes to the structure of international cricket, with proposals ranging from revised World Cup formats to the introduction of World Test Championship semi-finals, according to a report by BBC Sport’s Timothy Abraham.
The discussions took place during the ICC’s annual conference in Edinburgh, where senior decision-makers examined a range of ideas aimed at shaping the future of the international calendar. The conversations come as the governing body prepares for future broadcast rights negotiations and evaluates how each format can be positioned to maximise its long-term value.
World Cup formats under review
Among the proposals being explored is a reduction in the men’s ODI World Cup from 14 teams to 12, potentially beginning with the 2027 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The revised format would also introduce a new Super Seven stage. To accommodate the change, only two teams would qualify through the global qualifying tournament instead of the four places originally expected.
The men’s T20 World Cup could also undergo a structural adjustment. Rather than using the current Super Eight stage, the ICC is considering expanding that phase into a Super 10 competition.
Both proposals could increase the likelihood of additional India-Pakistan meetings during ICC events. The fixture remains the governing body’s most commercially valuable international contest, with the two rivals only meeting in global tournaments because of the absence of bilateral cricket between them.
The report said a larger second-round stage at the T20 World Cup would provide greater flexibility in tournament scheduling, while a Super Seven phase in the ODI World Cup could also create another potential meeting between the two sides.
Semi-finals discussed for the World Test Championship
The ICC is also evaluating the possibility of introducing semi-finals to the World Test Championship.
The current competition concludes with a one-off final between the top two teams in the standings after a two-year league cycle. The proposed change is intended to increase competitive interest by giving more teams a realistic pathway to the title later in the cycle, particularly those positioned in the middle of the table.
Although the idea received support during discussions, no formal decision has been approved.
Meanwhile, the governing body’s working group, led by New Zealand Cricket board member Roger Twose, continues to assess the long-term possibility of expanding the competition from nine to 12 teams by including Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.
However, no formal proposal has yet been presented, making expansion before the next Future Tours Programme cycle increasingly unlikely.
Calendar changes also on the agenda
Alongside tournament discussions, the ICC is continuing work on the next Future Tours Programme covering the 2027-2031 cycle.
England, India and Australia have already secured their major bilateral commitments around ICC events, while the remaining Full Members are still working to finalise their schedules. Further discussions are expected in August before a final review in September.
The report also stated that the volume of bilateral white-ball series could decrease after the next FTP cycle. In their place, the ICC is considering a series of intercontinental quadrangular tournaments featuring teams from different Full Member regions.
No immediate overhaul for ODI cricket
Despite speculation surrounding the future of the 50-over format, there are no immediate plans to shorten One-Day Internationals from 50 overs to 40 overs.
The ICC is understood to be continuing discussions on how to strengthen the format’s long-term relevance, but any reduction in overs is not currently expected.
There are also no plans to reinstate the ODI World Cup Super League, which operated between 2020 and 2023 as a qualification pathway for the men’s 50-over World Cup before being removed for the current qualification cycle.
Instead, the ICC has encouraged Full Members to arrange more matches between their ‘A’ teams and Associate nations in both white-ball formats as part of wider efforts to support the game’s development.
Global franchise competition gathers momentum
The conference also included discussions around a potential global club T20 competition featuring leading franchise teams from domestic leagues around the world.
The concept is understood to be moving closer to reality, although organisers must first identify space in an increasingly crowded international calendar.
A gathering of franchise executives is scheduled for later this year and could provide further momentum for the project as the ICC continues exploring opportunities to establish a global club tournament similar in concept to football’s Club World Cup.
