In a landmark decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended USA Cricket on September 23, 2025, citing “repeated and continued breaches” of membership obligations. The move comes at a critical moment for American cricket, just three years before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympics, where cricket will return as an Olympic sport.
The ICC’s decision rests on three major failures. First, USA Cricket has been unable to establish a functional governance structure. Second, it has made no credible progress toward recognition by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as the sport’s National Governing Body. Third, its actions have damaged the reputation of cricket both domestically and internationally.
This suspension had been looming for some time. In July 2024, the ICC had placed USA Cricket “on notice” for 12 months to address issues of non-compliance. With no meaningful reforms in place, suspension became inevitable at the ICC’s 2025 Annual General Meeting.
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The ICC’s membership criteria are clear: competent governance, compliance with ICC statutes, and, for the U.S., tangible progress toward Olympic compliance through USOPC recognition. Ironically, USA Cricket’s own constitution obligates it to meet USOPC standards as an NGB, including financial accountability, fair elections, athlete representation, and due process. Yet, these requirements were systematically ignored.
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The ICC has suspended the membership status of USA Cricket with immediate effect.
Failure to implement a functional governance structure and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the US and around the world, are among the reasons…
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) September 23, 2025
There is currently no set timeline for reinstatement. Instead, the ICC has launched a normalisation process, creating a roadmap for reforms and monitoring compliance. For restoration, USA Cricket must demonstrate structural changes, hold transparent elections, and achieve credible USOPC recognition.
Fortunately for players, the ICC has kept them insulated from the governance fallout. USA’s men’s and women’s national teams remain eligible for ICC tournaments, while LA28 preparations continue under ICC oversight. High-performance programs will be directly managed to ensure athletes are not penalised for administrative failures.
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The suspension reflects years of systemic shortcomings, where USA Cricket failed to meet the very benchmarks it set for itself. Moving forward, the roadmap is clear: board reform, constitutional compliance, integrity in elections, and progress toward USOPC recognition, without these, American cricket risks losing momentum at a time when global opportunities are opening.
