Discussions are reportedly underway to reduce the 2027 ODI World Cup from 14 teams to 12, marking a possible change to the ICC’s previously announced tournament format.
The development was reported by cricket journalist Tristan Lavalette on Tuesday, 14 July. According to him, despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirming in 2021 that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will comprise the 14 participating teams in the 2027 edition, the proposal is currently under discussion.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were asked to accept India’s rotation policy ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
ICC 2027 ODI World Cup Origin qualification scenario explained in detail
When the ICC announced the tournament structure in November 2021, the 2027 ODI World Cup was expanded to a 14-team competition from the 10-team format used in the 2019 and 2023 editions.
Under the current qualification system, co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe automatically qualify for the tournament. Namibia, despite being co-host, is not guaranteed a place as it is not a full member nation and must qualify through the regular route.
The remaining 12 places are divided between direct qualification and the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The top eight teams in the ICC men’s ODI rankings, excluding the two automatically qualified hosts, will earn direct entry into the World Cup based on the rankings as of March 31, 2027.
The final four spots are to be decided through the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will involve teams progressing through the ICC qualification route. That route includes Ligue 2, the Challenge League and qualifier play-offs, allowing several Associate nations to compete for a place at the World Cup.
Many Associate Members welcomed the expanded 14-team format after the previous two ODI World Cups featured only 10 teams, leaving many competing nations out of the tournament. At one time, there was even discussion of increasing the field to 16 teams before the ICC decided on 14 teams.
2027 ODI World Cup may include 12 teams instead of 14: Report
According to Tristan Lavalette, the ICC is now discussing reducing the number of participating teams from 14 to 12, a move that could significantly impact the qualification pathway for Associate nations.
Lavallette posted on Twitter: “There are discussions about reducing the 2027 ODI World Cup to 12 teams. The ICC announced in 2021 that the 2027 event will feature 14 teams. There were also discussions at the time of a 16-team World Cup after the 2019 and 2023 editions featured only 10 teams.”
There is talk of reducing the 2027 ODI World Cup to 12 teams.
The ICC announced in 2021 that the 2027 event would feature 14 teams.
There was discussion at the time of having a 16-team World Cup following the 2019 and 2023 editions of only 10 teams. https://t.co/j78Ea85Ek5
– Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) July 14, 2026
If the proposal is approved, the qualification structure announced by the ICC will need to be revised. The 12-team tournament will certainly reduce the number of qualification spots available through the World Cup qualifiers, making the path to the main event significantly more difficult for Associate teams.
As of now, neither the ICC nor its member boards have officially confirmed any changes in the tournament format. The 2027 ODI World Cup is listed as a 14-team event in the ICC’s qualification documents and the previously announced tournament structure.
2027 ODI World Cup venue details
The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027.
South Africa will host the majority of the tournament, with matches scheduled across eight venues: Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban, Gkebarha, Paarl, East London and Bloemfontein. Zimbabwe will host matches in Harare and Bulawayo, while Namibia will host World Cup games for the first time, with the event planned to be held in Windhoek.
As per the currently announced format, the tournament will have 54 matches. The 14 participating teams will be divided into two groups of seven, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Six stage before the semi-finals and final.
If the reported discussions result in a reduction of 12 teams, the ICC will also need to announce a revised playing format and qualification process. Until then, the tournament will remain a 14-team ODI World Cup under the qualification system officially approved in 2021.