The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a new format for the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, increasing the possibility of an additional match between Pakistan and India during the tournament.
The tournament will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Under the revised format, the knockout structure has been changed, with the introduction of a new “Super Seven” stage replacing the previous Super Six round.
New Tournament Format Explained
The 2027 World Cup will feature 14 teams. Before the main event begins, the three lowest-ranked teams will compete in a preliminary qualifying round, with only one team advancing to the main tournament.
The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six teams each for the first stage of the competition.
Super Seven Replaces Super Six
After the group stage, the ICC will introduce a new Super Seven phase instead of the Super Six format used in previous editions. The tournament will not include a quarter-final stage.
According to the ICC, the revised structure is designed to make the competition more competitive and ensure that every match carries greater significance throughout the tournament.
If Pakistan and India progress through the competition under the new format, the revised structure could create the possibility of the two rivals meeting more than once during the World Cup.
Changes Also Approved For T20 World Cup 2028
The ICC has also approved changes to the 2028 T20 World Cup format.
The tournament will feature 20 teams. After the group stage, 10 teams will advance to the next phase. The top two teams will qualify directly for the semi-finals, while the remaining two semi-finalists will be decided through a newly introduced eliminator stage.
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