​Explained: New ODI World Cup format as ICC plans to expand the global competition originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The ODI World Cup will adopt a new four-stage format featuring a new Super 7 round.ICC plans to expand ODI World Cup.14 teams will compete in the ODI World Cup going forward.The International Cricket Council has approved the most significant overhaul of its flagship men’s tournament in years, reshaping the structure of the 50-over World Cup.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe changes are designed to inject greater competitiveness and consequence into every stage of the tournament. The team number effectively remains unchanged in both events, but the routes to the semifinals have been comprehensively redrawn.The reforms arrive at a pivotal moment for the global game, with cricket returning to the Olympics at Los Angeles 2028 and the ICC keen to broaden the sport’s appeal across new and emerging markets around the world.MORE: Axar Patel has picked the perfect time to remind India why he still matters after England ODIThe ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will retain its 14 teams but move to a four-stage structure. A new opening Super Series round, featuring the sides ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th, will determine a single qualifier for the main competition.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat qualifier then joins the top 11 teams in two groups of six. The top three from each group, along with the next best-ranked side, progress to a seven-team Super 7 round-robin stage that forms the heart of the revamped tournament.The top four teams from the Super 7 will advance to the semifinals before the final. The ICC believes the design guarantees greater jeopardy from the opening fixture and sustains a stronger competitive narrative throughout the event.MORE: Not Virat or Rohit: Ashwin picks this star as the player India will never be able to replaceThe direction of travel is unmistakable. By adding new stages, the ICC has engineered more matches between elite sides, protecting the broadcast revenue that leans heavily on fixtures involving India and the other major nations.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere is genuine merit in the competitive logic. Previous World Cups often featured dead rubbers and predictable group stages, and the Eliminators in particular should manufacture the kind of high-stakes drama that a straightforward round-robin rarely delivers.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.