T20 World Cup 2028 To Be A 32-Team Tournament? ICC Ponders Expansion

Taking a leaf out of the FIFA World Cup, the ICC is considering expanding the T20 World Cup 2028 into a 32-team tournament. The tournament will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The proposal for the expansion was discussed in the ICC board meeting on July 19 (Saturday) in Singapore. 

The ICC formed a six-member working committee, led by Roger Twose and members from India, Australia and England, to look into the feasibility of this proposal. Once they submit their report, the ICC will then take a call on whether to expand the 2028 edition to 32 teams, thereby making it the biggest cricketing event in history.

The next T20 World Cup in 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will have 20 teams playing a total of 55 matches. The teams will be divided into four groups, followed by the Super 8s, semi-final and the final.

A 32-team event will involve massive logistical challenges, including venues, hotel accommodations, transport, among other things. The full members, along with associate teams, currently participate in the T20 World Cups, but with the expansion, the affiliate teams too can stake a claim to a place.