The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced yesterday that the Men’s Cricket World Cup will once again become a 14-team tournament in 2027 and 2031 as it unveiled its global schedule of events from 2024-2031.
The Champions Trophy, a ‘mini’ World Cup last staged in 2017, when Pakistan won in England, is to be revived in 2025 and 2029 as an event for the top-ranked eight One-Day International (ODI) teams.
Only 10 teams contested the 2019 World Cup, won by hosts England, compared to 14 four years earlier.
In a statement, the ICC board said: “The ICC Men’s One Day International Cricket World Cup will become a 14-team, 54-match event in 2027 and 2031, whilst the ICC Men’s Twenty/20 World Cup will be expanded to a 20-team, 55-match event in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030.”
The board, however, has retained the format for the World Test Championship (WTC) in the next cycle, with nine teams playing six series each to compete in the final every two years.
India and New Zealand will contest the inaugural WTC final in Southampton, England, later this month.
