The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board made several key decisions to strengthen the sport’s global development, ensure the stability of women’s cricket, and support its long-term strategic growth.
The success of the Women’s Cricket World Cup demonstrated cricket’s global appeal, the ICC board said. Nearly 300,000 spectators attended the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in stadiums, marking the highest attendance in the history of any global women’s cricket tournament.
In India, approximately 500 million viewers watched the matches on television and digital platforms, setting a new record, according to the communiqué.
Following the event’s success, the ICC board approved the expansion of the next World Cup from eight teams to ten.
The board reviewed ongoing collaboration with the IOC and preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The ICC welcomed efforts to include cricket in regional multi-sport events. Cricket will feature in the Asian Games 2026 and the African Games 2027. For the first time, it will be part of the 2027 Pan American Games .
At the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, men’s and women’s T20 events will be held, with six teams participating in each tournament. A total of 28 matches will take place.
The ICC board approved the issuance of a tender for video gaming rights, a move expected to expand cricket’s digital and entertainment reach.
The board agreed to proceed with a data consolidation project, which will enhance fan engagement through improved analytics and provide member countries with greater commercial opportunities.
In line with its commitment to equitable development, the ICC approved an approximately 10 per cent increase in funding for Associate Members in 2026. The additional resources will support domestic programmes, high-performance structures, and overall cricket development.
The board received a briefing on Project USA, launched following the suspension of USA Cricket. The initiative aims to protect the commercial and developmental interests of US national teams and to improve their performance ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The ICC board also approved new appointments to the Women’s Cricket Committee. The committee now includes Ashley de Silva, Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Ben Sawyer, Charlotte Edwards, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea.
