​The World Cricketers’ Association has expressed concern over the planned structure of the 2027 men’s fifty-over World Cup. It warns that the format, which eliminates two of the three lowest-ranked teams in the early stages, raises questions about transparency, consultation, and the sport’s long-term commitment to global growth. In the main portion of the tournament, which will commence with 14 teams, only 12 sides will play. The three lowest-ranked qualifiers will compete in a preliminary round that will yield just one team to join the remaining 11 in the group stage. From there, the tournament will unfold with two groups of six teams each, with the top three from each group and the next-best-ranked team advancing to a round-robin “super seven” stage, replacing the previous “super six.” The top four teams from the “super seven” will then move on to the semi-finals.
The WCA has cautioned that the revised format does not maximize the opportunity presented by expansion to 14 teams. It adds that for some countries, qualification will no longer guarantee a genuine World Cup campaign or the chance to compete against established nations, thereby diminishing the potential sporting, developmental, and commercial benefits for certain players and emerging cricket markets. These changes are set to take effect for the 2027 edition, which is being co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. The last World Cup held 14 teams in 2015, when groups were split into two seven-team sections, with each side guaranteed six matches. By contrast, the 2023 World Cup featured only 10 teams. The ICC has described the new format as providing greater context, competitiveness, and consequence during the event.
The response from the ICC has followed the WCA’s criticism, with chief executive Tom Moffat stating: “It is difficult to reconcile the game’s stated ambition of growing cricket globally with decisions that reduce meaningful opportunities at pinnacle events for some of the countries that stood to benefit most from genuine expansion.” Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands currently occupy the 12th, 13th, and 14th spots in the men’s ODI rankings. Scotland captain Richie Berrington said: “Players don’t expect to make every decision, but we should be meaningfully consulted on decisions that have significant impacts on the game and on players’ careers. Better decisions are made when different perspectives are brought to the table, and we’re urging the game to start doing that properly.”