ICC revamps ODI World Cup with three-stage format, T20 WC gets Super 10 and eliminators
Synopsis
The ICC has torn up the rulebook for both its marquee men's tournaments. The ODI World Cup gets a three-stage 'Super 7' structure that rewards depth over seeding, while the T20 World Cup's new 'Super 10' and eliminators mean no team can coast into the semis — raising the stakes at every turn of the group stage.
Key Takeaways
The ICC Board finalised major format changes at its Annual Conference in Edinburgh on 15 July .
The 14-team ODI World Cup shifts to a three-stage structure: Super Series (Round 1), a 12-team group stage (Round 2), and a Super 7 round-robin before the semi-finals.
The T20 World Cup's second stage expands from 8 to 10 teams , forming a 'Super 10' across two groups of five.
Cross-over 'Eliminators' will now decide the final two semi-final spots from teams finishing second and third in Super 10 groups.
Scotland receives direct entry into the Europe Regional Final for the 2028 T20 WC cycle due to 'exceptional circumstances' in 2026.
Final approval for the roadmap is subject to review by the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee in November .
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has announced a sweeping structural overhaul of its flagship men's tournaments, introducing a three-stage format for the 14-team ODI World Cup and expanding the T20 World Cup's second stage to a 'Super 10' format with cross-over eliminators. The decisions were finalised at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh on 15 July, following recommendations from the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC).
ODI World Cup: How the Three-Stage Format Works
The Men's Cricket World Cup will retain its 14-team field but abandon the traditional single-group structure in favour of a three-stage competition. In Round 1, dubbed the 'Super Series', the three lowest-ranked teams — Teams 12, 13, and 14 — will compete among themselves, with only the top team advancing to the main draw.
Round 2 will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six, producing 30 matches. The top three from each group, plus the next highest-placed team across both groups, will progress to the newly created 'Super 7' stage — a seven-team round-robin spanning 21 matches. The top four from the Super 7 will earn semi-final berths.
The ICC said the design aims to ensure that 'matches from Round 1 and Round 2 carry higher consequence' while continuing to give emerging nations a pathway to cricket's biggest stage.
T20 World Cup: Super 10 Stage and Eliminators Added
Buoyed by the performances of emerging nations at the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, the ICC has expanded the tournament's second stage from eight to ten teams. The opening group stage will now comprise five groups of four teams — producing 30 matches — replacing the previous arrangement of four groups of five. The top two from each group will advance to the 'Super 10', split into two groups of five.
In a significant change to the knockout pathway, only the top team from each Super 10 group will earn a direct semi-final place. Teams finishing second and third in their respective Super 10 groups will contest cross-over 'Eliminators' for the remaining two semi-final spots, adding sharper consequence to the closing rounds of the group stage.
Scotland's Direct Entry and the 2028 T20 WC Qualification Roadmap
Scotland has been granted direct entry into the Europe Regional Final for the 2028 T20 World Cup cycle, bypassing earlier qualifying stages. The ICC cited 'exceptional circumstances' — Scotland entered the 2026 edition as a late replacement for Bangladesh. Teams from the 2026 tournament that did not earn automatic qualification will proceed directly to the Global Qualifier, joined by eight teams from regional qualifiers: two each from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and one each from the Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions.
According to the ICC, 'the highest-placed team from each region at the Global Qualifier, together with the next three highest-placed teams overall, will qualify for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028, subject to minimum performance criteria.'
Final Approval Still Pending
While the ICC Board has endorsed the new formats on the recommendations of the Development and Chief Executives' Committees, the final stamp of approval for the full roadmap is expected after a review by the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee at the November meetings. The reforms collectively represent the most significant restructuring of ICC men's event formats in recent memory, and their commercial and competitive implications will be closely watched across member boards.
Point of View
And the eliminators model borrows directly from franchise cricket's proven tension-manufacturing playbook. The Super 7 structure in the ODI World Cup is clever in theory, but it creates a tournament within a tournament where seedings matter less than form, raising the prospect of top-ranked sides exiting earlier than broadcasters would like. Scotland's 'exceptional circumstances' carve-out also sets a precedent that smaller boards will scrutinise carefully when the next qualification dispute arises. The November Finance Committee review is the real moment of truth: if commercial projections don't align with the new format's match count, expect further tinkering before the ink dries.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new three-stage format for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup?
The 14-team ODI World Cup will now be played in three stages: a 'Super Series' (Round 1) where the three lowest-ranked teams compete for one spot in the main draw, a 12-team double-group Round 2, and a seven-team 'Super 7' round-robin from which the top four advance to the semi-finals. The format replaces the traditional single-group structure and is designed to make every match more consequential.
What is the 'Super 10' format in the T20 World Cup?
The Super 10 is the expanded second stage of the 20-team T20 World Cup, now featuring ten teams instead of eight, split into two groups of five. Only the group winners advance directly to the semi-finals; teams finishing second and third must play cross-over 'Eliminators' for the remaining two semi-final berths.
What are the T20 World Cup 'Eliminators' and how do they work?
Eliminators are cross-over knockout matches in the Super 10 stage where teams finishing second and third in their respective groups face off against each other. The two winners of these Eliminators join the two Super 10 group toppers in the semi-finals, ensuring the closing matches of the group stage carry maximum stakes.
Why has Scotland been given direct entry into the Europe Regional Final for the 2028 T20 World Cup?
The ICC cited 'exceptional circumstances' surrounding Scotland's participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup, where the team entered as a late replacement for Bangladesh. As a result, Scotland bypasses earlier qualifying stages and goes directly into the Europe Regional Final for the 2028 cycle.
When will the new ICC formats receive final approval?
The ICC Board has endorsed the formats following recommendations from the Development and Chief Executives' Committees, but final approval is pending a review by the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee at the November meetings. The changes are not yet fully ratified.
