ICC Confirms 14 Teams for 2027 World Cup, Unveils New Format
The tournament will feature a four-stage structure including a Super Seven round.
The International Cricket Council has confirmed that the 2027 ODI World Cup will maintain a 14-team format, dispelling earlier rumors of a reduction to 12. The decision was finalized at the ICC annual conference in Edinburgh, with a new four-stage format introduced.
The competition begins with a preliminary Super Series for the three lowest-ranked teams, from which one advances to the group stage. The next phase splits 12 teams into two groups of six, with the top three from each group and the best fourth-placed team moving to a Super Seven round. The top four from the Super Seven then progress to the semi-finals and final.
This expansion marks a departure from the traditional 10-team tournaments, offering more teams a chance to compete on the global stage. The exact qualification pathway for teams not automatically qualified will be detailed in due course.