Bigger and Better: Women’s ODI World Cup 2029 to Feature Ten Teams

Since the inception, the Women’s ODI World Cup has always been an eight-team tournament. But the recent success of the women’s tournament in India has now prompted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to make it a ten-team affair, starting with the 2029 ODI World Cup.

Unlike the 2025 edition, where there were 31 matches, there will be 48 games in the 2029 edition. Not just that, the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will also feature 12 teams, two more than the previous edition. New Zealand are the current holders of the T20 World Cup, and would be hoping to retain the championship. 

"Nearly 300,000 fans watched the event in stadia breaking the record for tournament attendance for any women's Cricket event," the ICC release said. "The tournament also witnessed viewership growth and new records being set for on-screen audiences across the world with nearly 500 million viewers in India."

The ICC also revealed that the Olympics in Los Angeles (2028) will have 28 teams in total – across men’s and women’s competitions. According to ESPNCricinfo, “the six teams in each competition will comprise the top-ranked side from each of the five regions”.

Simultaneously, talks have also begun for the inclusion of cricket in the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. ICC’s CEO Sanjog Gupta has already initiated conversations for the inclusion of cricket in the 2032 edition.