The International Cricket Council has now officially confirmed that the next Women's ODI World Cup, to take place in 2029, will feature ten teams in what is an important step in the global growth of women's cricket. This decision is after the incredible success of the 2025 edition which witnessed record attendance, record viewership and record interest on a global scale, making it one of the most successful tournaments in the history of Women's Cricket.

The ICC had first announced its intention to expand the women’s game back in 2021 on International Women’s Day, outlining a roadmap to provide more competitive opportunities for emerging nations. Since 2000, only eight teams have featured in the main draw of the Women’s ODI World Cup. The Women's ODI World Cup since 2000 featured only eight teams, while the revised format now accommodates ten nations, thereby opening ways for more teams to participate at the highest level in world cricket.

The forthcoming 2029 Women's ODI World Cup will also comprise more matches than ever, from 31 in its previous edition to 48. The ICC also announced that the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will take place next year, will expand from 10 to 12 teams. This decision continues the ICC’s efforts to strengthen women’s cricket and reach a wider global audience.

"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,” the ICC release said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

ICC Introduces New Members and Focuses on Digital Future

The ICC Board has also appointed several new members to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee. The new members include Ashley De Silva, Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Ben Sawyer, Charlotte Edwards, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea. The aim is to bring a wider range of expertise and representation to help guide the continued growth of women’s cricket globally.

In another major decision, the ICC confirmed that it will start a bidding process for an official mobile cricket game. The project has been under discussion for a while and has caused some disagreement with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). The new tender process aims to make the development of the game more transparent and organized.

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"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 with the ICC in delivering world-class, digital fan experiences," the board said in the statement.

However, this project has led to a dispute between the ICC and the WCA over Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. The WCA claims that using real players in the mobile game without permission would break existing agreements, as it already holds NIL rights for about 600 players. Earlier this year, the ICC ruled that each national board must handle NIL rights directly with its players instead of through the WCA.

While progress has been slow, reports suggest that around half of the ICC’s Full Member nations have reached preliminary agreements. The ICC hopes that this digital initiative will not only boost fan engagement but also open new opportunities for the game’s growth ahead of the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup.