NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday confirmed that the next edition of the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2029 will feature 10 teams, up from the eight-team format currently in place.

India clinched its first-ever global trophy in women’s cricket, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final held at Navi Mumbai on November 2.

Thousands of fans filled the stadiums to witness the action, prompting the ICC to expand the tournament.

"The ICC board, keen to build on the success of the event, agreed to expand the next edition of the tournament to 10 teams (from 8 teams in 2025)," an ICC press release stated.

"Nearly 300,000 fans watched the event in stadia breaking the record for tournament attendance for any women's cricket event. 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," it further stated.

Increase in revenue distribution for Associate Members

Reflecting its commitment to equitable growth, the ICC Board approved a nearly 10% increase in fund distribution for associate members for 2026. The additional funding is expected to support domestic programmes, high-performance structures, and cricket development across emerging regions.

USA Cricket Controversy

The ICC received its first update on 'Project USA', launched following the suspension of USA Cricket. The project aligns with the ICC’s directive to ensure that the commercial and development interests of US national team players are not affected by the board’s suspension due to non-compliance.

The initiative aims to create an optimised pathway for cricket’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games while strengthening performance pathways for US national teams through continued participation in ICC events.

Cricket in Pan-Am and African Games

With cricket confirmed in the 2028 Olympics and already part of the Asian Games, the sport will also feature in the 2027 African Games in Cairo and the PanAm Games 2027 in Lima, Peru.

Mithali Raj in ICC Women's Cricket Committee

The ICC Board ratified several appointments to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee, including Ashley De Silva, Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Ben Sawyer, Charlotte Edwards, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea.

(With PTI Inputs)