The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a major overhaul of the ODI and T20 World Cup formats, introducing new qualification stages designed to increase competitiveness and create higher-stakes matches from the very beginning of each tournament. The changes were ratified during the ICC’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh and will be implemented in upcoming editions of the global events.

The ODI World Cup will continue to feature 14 teams, but the tournament will now begin with a newly introduced Super Series. In this opening phase, the three lowest-ranked qualified teams will battle for a single place in the main competition. Only one team will progress, while the other two will be eliminated before the group stage.

The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six. Each side will play the other teams in its group, with the top three teams from each group qualifying for the next phase. They will be joined by the best-performing fourth-placed team across both groups, forming the Super 7 stage.

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From there, every team in the Super 7 will compete for a place in the knockout rounds, with the top four sides advancing to the semi-finals. According to the ICC, the revamped structure is aimed at making every match more meaningful while maintaining opportunities for emerging cricket nations to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.

BREAKING: The ICC has announced major changes to the format of next year’s men’s ODI World Cup.

It will remain a 14-team event, but the three lowest-ranked teams will now play a ‘super series’ round for one spot in the main group stage, with two teams eliminated.

12 teams will… pic.twitter.com/89RbSAw2Mk

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) July 15, 2026

The governing body has also unveiled a new format for future T20 World Cups. The tournament will feature 20 teams split into five groups of four during the opening stage. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 10, where they will be divided into two groups of five.

The winners of both Super 10 groups will earn direct qualification to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the teams finishing second and third in each group will contest cross-over Eliminator matches. The second-placed team from one group will face the third-placed team from the other, with the two winners completing the semi-final lineup.

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Explaining the changes, the ICC said the revised formats are intended to increase competitive intensity, reward consistency throughout the tournament and deliver a more engaging experience for players and fans alike while preserving opportunities for developing cricket nations.