DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a new format for the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup, introducing a 'Super Series' stage before the main group phase to make the tournament more competitive.
The 2027 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will feature 14 teams. Under the new format, all 14 teams will first compete in the Super Series, where two teams will be eliminated before the main tournament begins.
The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six. After the group stage, the top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team across both groups, will qualify for the newly introduced Super Seven stage.
According to the ICC, the revised format has been designed to increase the importance of every match in the early stages and create a more competitive tournament.
The 2027 ODI World Cup will be the first edition to feature this new structure after it was approved during the ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Edinburgh.
