ICC introduces ‘Super Series’ and ‘Super 7’ format for 2027 ODI World Cup | Cricket News
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved major changes to the formats of its flagship men’s tournaments, introducing a new structure for the ODI and T20 World Cups while also endorsing a new global competition for partner nations ahead of the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup. Decisions are taken at the ICC Board’s annual meetings in Edinburgh following recommendations from the Chief Executives’ Committee. According to the governing body, the changes are aimed at making matches more meaningful from the opening stages, improving competition standards and delivering a better experience for players and fans. The ICC Board, which includes three representatives from partner countries, also signed the qualification pathway for the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup.
New format for the 14-team ODI World Cup
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will continue with 14 teams but will follow a three-stage format before the knockout rounds. Under the revised structure, the three lowest-ranked qualifying teams (Teams 12, 13 and 14) will first compete in a round-robin ‘Super Series’. The winner will join the remaining 11 teams in the next round. Round 2 consists of two groups of six teams, with each group playing a round-robin. The top three teams from each group, along with the next highest ranked team in both groups, will advance to the Super 7 stage. The Super 7 has a single round-robin involving seven teams. The top four sides qualify for the semi-finals, with the first playing for fourth and the second taking third. The winners will meet in the final. The ICC said the new format was designed to increase the importance of each match from the start of the tournament while maintaining opportunities for emerging teams to compete on the biggest stage.
T20 World Cup with Super 10 and eliminators
The 20-team ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will also undergo a significant overhaul. Instead of four groups of five teams, the opening phase consists of five groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group qualify for the next stage, which is expanded from the Super Eights to the Super 10. The Super 10 has two groups of five teams. The team that finishes first in each group will directly qualify for the semi-finals. The teams that finish second in each group will face the third-placed team from the opposing group in two eliminators. The winners of those matches will complete the semi-final line-up. The ICC said the revised structure increases the number of teams competing in the second round from eight to 10, creating more opportunities for new nations while ensuring stronger competition throughout the tournament. The introduction of eliminators is also expected to add significance to the final matches of the Super 10 stage.
New qualification path for 2028 T20 World Cup
The ICC has also approved the qualification system for the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup. Scotland will receive direct entry to the European Regional Final in recognition of the exceptional circumstances surrounding its participation in the 2026 tournament. Teams that played in the 2026 T20 World Cup but did not get automatic qualification will directly advance to the Global Qualifier. The remaining eight Global Qualifier spots will be decided by regional qualification, with Africa, Asia and Europe receiving two spots each, while the Americas and East Asia-Pacific region each have one spot. From the Global Qualifier, the highest ranked team from each region, along with the next three best teams overall, will qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup, subject to minimum performance criteria.
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