ICC announces major change in 2027 ODI World Cup format
17 Jul 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a major change in the format of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The tournament will now have 12 teams in the main round, divided into two groups.

This is a departure from the original plan approved by ICC in 2021, which had proposed 14 teams split across two groups before moving to a Super Six stage.

Super Seven round introduced
Tournament structure

The new format also introduces a Super Seven round, which will be played before the semi-finals and final. This is a major change from the original plan, as per Cricinfo.

The top three teams from each of the two groups of six, plus one next-best team on points table across both groups, will qualify for this round.

World Cup qualifier likely to be played in early 2027
Qualifier details

The 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier will be a key tournament, with the winner getting direct entry into the main group of the marquee event in Africa.

This would save them from playing in the first round, called a Super Series.

The ICC has not yet announced when and where this qualifier will take place, but it is likely to be held in early 2027.

Format for the World Cup Qualifier
Qualifier format

The format for the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier is likely to be similar to that of the 2023 World Cup Qualifier.

It will have 10 teams divided into two groups of five, followed by a Super Six.

The top eight teams in the ODI rankings at the end of September 2026 and two co-hosts (South Africa and Zimbabwe) will get direct entry into the World Cup itself.

Men's ODI World Cup to feature 14 teams
WC

On July 15, ICC announced major changes to the formats for its marquee men's events - the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup.

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.