The ICC has announced plans to launch a new competition from 2028 aimed at reviving One Day International (ODI) cricket. There are also plans to expand the T20 World Cup to 32 teams.
The World Test Championship will not be divided into two divisions. The 2027–29 Test World Cup could feature 12 teams, a decision confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Additionally, the ICC intends to introduce a Super League for ODI cricket, and gradually increase the number of teams in the T20 World Cup to 32.
A proposal to split the World Test Championship into two divisions has been rejected. The ICC working group, led by former New Zealand cricketer Roger Twose, dismissed the plan at a meeting in Dubai last week. The rationale is that full-member nations have already begun negotiating bilateral series, which will form part of the 2027–29 Test World Cup cycle.
The rejected proposal had suggested one division for India, England, and Australia, and another for the remaining nations, with promotion and relegation between the two divisions. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies opposed the plan, and so did England. The ECB chief, Richard Thompson, recently stated: “We don’t want this kind of system. The World Test Championship should continue as it is. If we are relegated to a second division, we would miss the opportunity to play against teams like Australia or India. Any team in the first division could provide competitive matches, but it can’t work this way.”
The ICC meeting confirmed that the current format of the World Test Championship will continue. The upcoming 12-team competition will include Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe, ensuring that all full-member nations have equal opportunities and a guaranteed number of Test matches.
A Super League for ODI cricket has been approved to help sustain the format, after the proposal was previously shelved following the 2023 World Cup. The competition is scheduled to start in 2028, though the final number of participating teams will be decided after the 2027 World Cup.
