New Delhi, July 18: The winner of the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup Qualifier will secure direct entry into the main stage of the World Cup, avoiding the newly introduced Super Series, following the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) revamped tournament format.
The revised structure, announced earlier this week, gives the Qualifier champion a significant advantage. While the ICC is yet to confirm the dates, venue and official playing conditions for the 10-team Qualifier, the tournament is expected to be held in early 2027. The format is likely to remain unchanged from the 2023 edition, featuring two groups of five teams followed by a Super Six stage.The ICC has overhauled the 2027 World Cup format from the version originally approved in 2021. Instead of a 14-team competition, the tournament will now feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six, followed by a newly introduced Super Seven stage before the semi-finals and final.The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings at the end of September 2026, along with co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, will earn automatic qualification. Namibia, the third co-host, does not receive automatic entry.The remaining direct berth will go to the winner of the World Cup Qualifier.Teams finishing second, third and fourth in the Qualifier will still qualify for the World Cup but must first compete in a Super Series, a two-match round-robin involving four teams. Only the winner of this stage will progress to the main World Cup competition, while the remaining three sides will be eliminated after just two matches.The Super Seven, making its debut in the 2027 edition, will feature the top three teams from each of the two six-team groups, along with the next best-ranked side across both groups. All seven teams will play each other once, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals, where the first-placed team will face the fourth-placed side and the second will meet the third before the final. (Agencies)
