ICC Expands Women’s World Cup to Ten Teams for 2029, Eyes Cricket’s Return to 2032 Olympics

The ICC has confirmed that the 2029 Women’s World Cup will feature ten teams, marking the biggest expansion of the tournament in its history as women’s cricket continues to grow in global reach and popularity. The decision follows the success of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, which saw record crowds and broadcast audiences. Nearly 300,000 fans attended matches in stadiums — the highest-ever figure for a women’s cricket event — while viewership worldwide surpassed 500 million, led by India’s triumphant title run. Since 2000, the Women’s ODI World Cup has been contested by eight teams. The 2029 edition will see ten sides play 48 matches, up from 31 this year. The ICC said the expansion “reflects our commitment to the continued growth of the women’s game,” adding that the next Women’s T20 World Cup, to be held in 2026, will also grow from ten to twelve teams. The ICC also ratified new members to its Women’s Cricket Committee, including former India captain Mithali Raj, Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva, and former England star Charlotte Edwards. Meanwhile, the board outlined details for cricket’s return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028. Both men’s and women’s events will feature six teams each, representing the top-ranked sides from the ICC’s five regions — Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania — along with hosts USA. The tournament will begin on July 12 and take place at the newly built Fairgrounds Stadium, about 50 kilometers outside Los Angeles. Cricket will also appear in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the 2027 African Games in Egypt, and the 2027 PanAm Games in Peru. Discussions have begun on adding cricket to the program for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said “meaningful talks” have already been held with Brisbane organizers and the International Olympic Committee, alongside ICC chair Jay Shah. Separately, the ICC has approved the launch of a bidding process for global mobile gaming rights. The move follows a dispute with the World Cricketers’ Association over players’ Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. Member boards will now negotiate directly with players, paving the way for a new ICC-licensed cricket game to be developed in partnership with leading studios.