Don't Miss

India's CWG 2026 Medal Tally Lowest In 24 Years, Yet Among The Best

Tactical Self-Destruction: How England Threw Away Their World Cup Final Dream

Bundesliga Blueprint: How Zee Plans To Complete India's Football Jigsaw

Manuel Neuer Doesn't Know Where To Stop: Not On The Pitch, Not In His Career

Advertisement

ENG

Login

Dark / Light mode

Oct 10,2026 04:08 AM IST

'Less Opportunities': ICC Slammed Over Controversial World Cup Qualification Shake-Up

facebook

twitter

WhatsApp

Settings

Select Language

Dark / Light mode

Search

Cricket

arrow-down reddit snapchat twitter facebook comments email printer search bell top-nav reddit-fill snapchat-fill twitter-fill facebook-fill share whatsapp-fill bookmark arrow-rgt arrow-next arrow-up refresh close link cog star book zap cricket football tennis formula-1 badminton hockey golf boxing ndtv-n check left-arrow right-arrow

Live Cricket Matches

India Matches

IPL 2026

Football Matches

ISL

EPL

All Matches

India Matches

EPL

Sports Home Cricket News Less Opportunities ICC Slammed Over Controversial World Cup Qualification ShakeUp

Related Articles

Story ProgressBack to home

'Less Opportunities': ICC Slammed Over Controversial World Cup Qualification Shake-Up

Under the revised format, the tournament will still feature 14 teams but will begin with a newly introduced three-team round-robin 'Super Series' involving the lowest-ranked qualifiers.

Read Time: 3 min

facebook

twitter

WhatsApp

reddit

E-mail

Netherlands' Scott Edwards described the decision as a major setback for emerging cricket nations.© ICC

Show

Quick Read

Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Did our AI summary help?

Let us know.

Switch To Beeps Mode

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) revamped format for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup has drawn sharp criticism from leading Associate nations, with players and the World Cricketers' Association (WCA) accusing the governing body of limiting opportunities for emerging teams and failing to consult stakeholders before introducing the changes. Under the revised format, the tournament will still feature 14 teams but will begin with a newly introduced three-team round-robin 'Super Series' involving the lowest-ranked qualifiers.

Two teams will be eliminated after playing just two matches each, a move that has sparked frustration among Associate nations striving to compete regularly against Full Member sides, according to Cricinfo.

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards described the decision as a major setback for emerging cricket nations.

"Qualifying for an ODI World Cup is a huge achievement for any country, so when the reality of that opportunity changes after years of planning, it's incredibly disappointing," Edwards said in a statement released by the WCA, as per Cricinfo.

"The ICC talks a lot about growing the game globally, but decisions like this make it harder for Associate nations to play against the best teams in the world," he added.

He further added, "Those opportunities are what help countries improve and inspire the next generation of players. If we're serious about making cricket a global sport, we should be creating more opportunities on the global stage, not less."

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus also questioned the value of qualifying if teams receive only two matches at the tournament.

"For players in many countries, an ODI World Cup isn't just another tournament. It's our long form and something careers are built around and generations of players aspire to," Erasmus said, as per Cricinfo.

"We all accept that you have to earn the right to be there, but we also want qualifications to provide a real opportunity to compete on the biggest stage. This follows a long history of limited opportunity at the Associate level," he added.

The World Cricketers' Association (WCA) also criticised the ICC's decision-making process, saying the governing body had failed to adequately consult players despite the significant impact on qualification pathways and careers.

"The ICC is entitled to determine the structure of its global events," WCA chief executive Tom Moffat said.

"However, when commitments are made to the game, qualification pathways are established, and countries and players invest years pursuing those opportunities, significant changes deserve genuine consultation, transparency and a clear explanation," he added.

According to Cricinfo, major cricket boards like from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka do not recognise WCA.

Scotland captain Richie Berrington also echoed concerns, urging cricket administrators to involve players more meaningfully in major decisions.

"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," Berrington said.

Ireland ODI captain Paul Stirling also pointed to football's expanding global showpiece as an example to follow.

"It would be great to see cricket take a similar approach to maximise opportunities for the game," Stirling said, referring to the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup.When announcing the revised format, the ICC said the "evolved" structure would produce "a more compelling tournament" and "enhance the overall experience for fans while continuing to provide emerging teams with the opportunity to compete on cricket's biggest stage."

So you're telling me, associate sides have to play in a 3 year 50 over tournament, to qualify for a qualifier to qualify for another tri-series qualifier to then qualify for a World Cup. https://t.co/DzdlqS0tZG

— Maxwell O'Dowd (@Maxiboi23) July 15, 2026

The changes replace the previously proposed format of two groups of seven teams followed by a Super Six stage, a structure around which teams had planned their qualification campaigns over the past several years.

The revised model has also raised questions over the significance of the ongoing Cricket World Cup League 2, where eight Associate nations are contesting 36 matches each in pursuit of qualification for the global event.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day

Spain Vs Argentina | Dani Olmo On WC Triumph: 'Wanted To Set An Example For The Next Generation'

Topics mentioned in this article

Netherlands Netherlands Scotland Scotland Ireland Ireland Cricket Team Namibia Namibia International Cricket Council Cricket

Get the Latest Cricket, Asian Games 2026, Football , Hockey, Badminton Scores, F1 Results at NDTV Sports. Like Us On Facebook Or Follow Us On Twitter For More Sports Updates. You Can Also Download The NDTV Cricket App For Android Or iOS.

Advertisement

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

Advertisement

ICC Rankings

Advertisement

Now Trending

Advertisement

Trending Links

Follow us on:

facebook

twitter

Cricket

Football

More Sports

Formula 1 Tennis Hockey Badminton Golf Nba Kabaddi Shooting Swimming Table Tennis

This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics © Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2026. All rights reserved.