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Discussions are reportedly taking place to reduce the 2027 ODI World Cup from 14 teams to 12, marking a possible change from the ICC's previously announced tournament format.
The development was reported by cricket journalist Tristan Lavalette on Tuesday, July 14. According to him, the proposal is currently under discussion despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirming in 2021 that the 2027 edition in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia would feature 14 participating teams.
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 original qualification scenario explained in detail
When the ICC announced the tournament structure in November 2021, the 2027 ODI World Cup was expanded from the 10-team format used in the 2019 and 2023 editions to a 14-team competition.
Under the existing qualification system, co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe qualify automatically for the tournament. Namibia, despite being a co-host, is not guaranteed a place because it is not a Full Member nation and must qualify through the regular pathway.
The remaining 12 places are split 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 to the World Cup based on the rankings as of March 31, 2027.
The final four places are scheduled to be decided through the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will feature teams progressing from the ICC's qualification pathway. That pathway includes League 2, the Challenge League and the Qualifier Play-off, allowing several Associate nations to compete for a World Cup berth.
The expanded 14-team format was welcomed by many Associate members after the previous two ODI World Cups featured only 10 teams, leaving several competitive nations outside the tournament. At one stage, discussions had even taken place around increasing the field to 16 teams before the ICC settled on 14.
2027 ODI World Cup could feature 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 affect the qualification pathway for Associate nations.
Lavalette posted on X: "There are discussions to cut back the 2027 ODI World Cup to 12 teams. The ICC announced in 2021 that the 2027 event would have 14 teams. There were discussions at the time of a 16-team World Cup after the 2019 and 2023 editions only had 10."
There are discussions to cut back the 2027 ODI World Cup to 12 teams.
— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) July 14, 2026
The ICC announced in 2021 that the 2027 event would have 14 teams.
There were discussions at the time of a 16-team World Cup after the 2019 and 2023 editions only had 10. https://t.co/j78Ea85Ek5
If the proposal is approved, the qualification structure announced by the ICC would need to be revised. A 12-team tournament would almost certainly reduce the number of qualification spots available through the World Cup Qualifier, making the route to the main event considerably tougher for Associate sides.
As of now, neither the ICC nor its member boards have officially confirmed any change to the tournament format. The 2027 ODI World Cup continues to be listed as a 14-team event in the ICC's qualification documents and previously announced tournament structure.
2027 ODI World Cup venue details
The 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played from October 4 to November 21, 2027, across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
South Africa will host the majority of the tournament, with matches scheduled across eight venues: Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Paarl, East London and Bloemfontein. Zimbabwe will stage matches in Harare and Bulawayo, while Namibia will host World Cup games for the first time, with fixtures planned in Windhoek.
According to the currently announced format, the tournament will feature 54 matches. The 14 participating teams will be divided into two groups of seven, with the top three teams from each group progressing to the Super Six stage before the semi-finals and final.
If the reported discussions result in a reduction to 12 teams, the ICC would also need to announce a revised playing format and qualification process. Until then, the tournament officially remains a 14-team ODI World Cup under the qualification system approved in 2021.
