The recent ICC Board meeting concluded with significant resolutions aimed at expanding cricket globally, finalizing the qualification pathway for the LA28 Olympics and confirming the expansion of the Women’s World Cup.
A major update centered on cricket’s return to the Olympics at LA28. The Board revealed the qualification scenario for the six-team men’s and women’s competitions. The hosts (USA, representing the Americas region) and the top-ranked side from each of the other four ICC regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) will secure spots.
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A sixth team will be determined via a qualifier, with details yet to be announced. The LA28 event, featuring 28 games total, is scheduled to begin on July 12 at the purpose-built Fairgrounds Stadium.
Building on the monumental success of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, the ICC reaffirmed its commitment to the women’s game. The 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup will be expanded from eight to ten teams, increasing the total matches from 31 to 48.
This decision follows the 2025 event, which set records with nearly 300,000 stadium attendees and a viewership of almost 500 million in India alone. The Women’s T20I World Cup next year will also grow, moving from 10 to 12 teams.
Cricket’s presence in multi-sport events is set to grow significantly even before LA28. The sport will feature at the 2026 Asian Games (Japan), the 2027 African Games (Egypt), and the 2027 PanAm Games (Peru).
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Furthermore, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta confirmed that “meaningful discussions” have already begun with the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee regarding cricket’s inclusion. Gupta and ICC Chair Jay Shah recently met with IOC, LA28, and Brisbane 2032 teams in Switzerland to discuss formats and delivery.
Finally, the Board ratified several key appointments to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee. Notable additions include Indian legend Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Charlotte Edwards, Ben Sawyer, Ashley De Silva, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea.