The ICC has announced that the Women’s World Cup in 2029 will feature ten teams, moving away from the eight-team format that has been in place since 2000. This is another indication of the ICC’s expanding commitment to developing and promoting women’s cricket around the world.
A Major Expansion for Women’s World Cup 2029
In a recent announcement, the ICC stated that there would be 48 matches in the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup – an increase from the 31 that were in store for 2025. This is an effort to expand on the success of the World Cup just finished that attracted historic crowds and fantastic numbers for viewing across the planet.
This move is part of the ICC’s long-term strategy to improve the format and competitiveness of women’s cricket events for better participation and viewership worldwide.
Record Attendance and Global Viewership for Women’s Cricket
The ICC believes that the latest Women’s World Cup attracted almost 300,000 fans to the stadiums, the largest number ever for a women’s cricket occasion. Broadcast viewership also broke records during the event, with almost 500 million viewers getting access some way around the world just from India; a clear indication of the increasing popularity of the women’s game.
Women’s T20 World Cup Also Set for Expansion
As well as increasing the ODI scale, the International Cricket Council confirmed that the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be contested by 12 teams rather than 10 teams in the previous format (held in UAE). This strategy aligns with ICC’s wider purpose to create more areas for women cricketers to participate in international matches.
Read More
New Appointments to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee
Ashley De Silva
Mithali Raj
Amol Muzumdar
Ben Sawyer
Charlotte Edwards
Sala Stella Siale-Vaea
These additions further strengthen the governance and strategic direction of the women’s game throughout the world.
Cricket’s Olympic Journey: From Los Angeles 2028 to Brisbane 2032
Another major development in the sport will be the inclusion of cricket in the LA 2028 Olympics. In total, there will be 28 matches across men’s and women’s competitions, pitting the host USA against the top-ranked team from each of the five ICC regions, plus one additional team through a qualifier event yet to be announced. Competition matches will be held in the Fairgrounds Stadium, situated approximately 50 km from Los Angeles, from July 12, 2028, onwards.
Cricket will feature in several multi-sport games coming up before LA 2028:
Read More
Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
African Games 2027 in Cairo, Egypt
Pan American Games 2027 in Lima, Peru
The talks for the sport’s inclusion at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics are already ongoing. Very recently, ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta and Chair Jay Shah met with the IOC and LA28 representatives in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss event formats, logistics, and qualification pathways.
ICC Opens Bidding Process for Official Mobile Cricket Game
In another key development, ICC announced it will open bids for its official mobile cricket gaming rights in a new phase in its digital fan engagement strategy. The governing body said:
“The ICC Board confirmed its approval to issue an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Video Gaming Rights, opening the door for leading global partners to collaborate in delivering world-class digital fan experiences.”
However, this move has sparked tensions between the ICC and the World Cricketers’ Association regarding NIL rights. According to the WCA, the ICC’s plans could breach existing contracts as the WCA already holds NIL rights for approximately 600 professional players.
The ICC undertook a resolution by mandating that each of the individual member boards independently negotiate the NIL rights directly with their own players and not through the WCA. News reports indicate at least half of the Full Member boards have already gained these rights.
Key Takeaways
The 2029 Women’s World Cup will feature 10 teams and 48 matches, an increase from the previous 8 teams and 31 matches.
Record 300,000+ fans attended the last tournament.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 expands to 12 teams. Cricket’s inclusion in LA 2028 Olympics confirmed, discussions on for Brisbane 2032. ICC launches mobile gaming bid amid NIL rights dispute.
ALSO READ: Kane Williamson Replace Taijul Islam In Durban’s Super Giants For SA20 2025-26
