The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a sweeping five-year strategic roadmap that will redefine women’s cricket at every level from elite competition to grassroots development.
Building on the unprecedented commercial success of the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in India, the ICC Board has approved a set of measures that will expand tournaments, elevate global competitiveness, and align the sport with the Olympic movement ahead of Los Angeles 2028. The plan, which centers around the 2025–2029 horizon, signals a pivotal shift: women’s cricket is now viewed not as a subsidized developmental property but as a commercially self-sustaining global product.
A New Era of Confidence: The 2025 World Cup as a Turning Point
The ICC’s renewed ambition for women’s cricket stems directly from the blockbuster success of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, hosted by India. The event shattered every major performance indicator attendance, viewership, and digital engagement validating the women’s game as a marketable and mainstream global asset.
Over 300,000 fans attended matches across India, while total global viewership reached nearly 500 million. The final, in which India defeated South Africa by 52 runs at Navi Mumbai, drew 185 million digital viewers on JioHotstar matching the digital audience of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final.
Equally remarkable, 92 million fans watched via Connected TV (CTV) large-screen viewing figures identical to those of recent men’s finals. For the ICC, this proved that women’s cricket can command premium advertising and broadcast value on par with the men’s game.
Mithali Raj, now a member of the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee, described the event as a “watershed moment.” “This World Cup proved that women’s cricket is not a niche story anymore,” she said. “It is a powerful, standalone product that fans will invest in emotionally and commercially.”
Expanding Horizons: 2029 Women’s World Cup to Feature 10 Teams
In a major structural reform, the ICC confirmed that the 2029 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup will expand from eight to ten teams, a move designed to increase global participation and depth of competition. The pathway to qualification will run through the 2025–2029 ICC Women’s Championship, which itself has been expanded to eleven teams, with Zimbabwe newly added. Each team will play eight three-match ODI series (four home and four away), creating a more rigorous and inclusive schedule.
This expansion, combined with a 10% increase in funding for Associate Members, is designed to strengthen the talent pipeline. The ICC wants to ensure that emerging nations entering the expanded World Cup can compete at a high level avoiding the imbalance often seen in rapid tournament expansions.
The Olympic Dream: LA 2028 and Beyond
Perhaps the most politically and symbolically significant component of the ICC’s strategy is the formal integration of cricket into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, marking the sport’s first appearance since 1900. The Olympic event will feature both men’s and women’s T20 tournaments, with six teams per gender. The competition will follow a two-group round-robin format, culminating in gold and bronze medal matches.
Importantly, the ICC has chosen a continental qualification system in line with the International Olympic Committee’s “Five Rings” principle prioritizing geographic diversity over ranking-based selection. The six women’s teams will likely include the United States (host), India, Australia, England, and South Africa, with one additional slot from either Europe or the Americas.
While the move promotes inclusivity, it has sparked debate among Full Members who risk exclusion due to regional dominance. However, ICC Chair Jay Shah defended the policy as “a necessary alignment with the IOC’s values,” noting that the long-term goal is not just medals but global legitimacy.
In the build-up to LA 2028, cricket will feature in several multi-sport events including the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the 2027 African Games in Cairo, and the 2027 PanAm Games in Lima. These tournaments will double as test events for Olympic qualification and offer exposure to Associate nations.
Financial Empowerment: Funding Boost for Emerging Nations
To ensure that growth is not confined to top-tier nations, the ICC has approved a 10% increase in annual funding for its Associate Members starting in 2026. The enhanced funding estimated at several million dollars annually will be dedicated to three pillars: domestic structures, high-performance training, and women’s cricket development.
This funding uplift is designed not as aid but as a strategic investment in competitive balance. The ICC recognizes that the credibility of its expanded tournaments and Olympic participation depends on the quality of teams fielded by developing countries. Additionally, the ICC will diversify revenue streams through new digital ventures. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) for video gaming rights has been approved, targeting collaborations with major gaming developers to create cricket-based esports properties. A complementary data analytics project will explore AI-driven fan engagement, aiming to convert digital insights into sustained revenue growth.
These initiatives signal a clear move toward financial self-sufficiency, allowing the ICC to support global development without overreliance on traditional broadcast deals.
Expert Leadership: Strengthening the Women’s Cricket Committee
To guide this transformative agenda, the ICC has restructured its Women’s Cricket Committee, adding a mix of modern coaches and former legends to ensure practical, data-driven decision-making.
The newly appointed members include:
•Mithali Raj: Former India captain and global ambassador for women’s cricket.
•Charlotte Edwards: Head coach of England Women’s team and multi-league champion (WPL, WBBL, The Hundred).
•Amol Muzumdar: Head coach of the Indian Women’s team, who led India to the 2025 World Cup title.
Their inclusion guarantees that player management, tournament scheduling, and high-performance frameworks are informed by real-world experience. The ICC expects this committee to oversee the creation of a Global T20 Curriculum to standardize training across regions ahead of the Olympic cycle.
The ICC’s five-year roadmap represents a tightly interconnected system where commercial gains fund expansion, expansion fuels global participation, and participation drives sustainability.
In summary:
- The 2025 World Cup’s commercial success proved the market value of women’s cricket.
- The 2029 expansion will widen competitive access.
- The LA 2028 Olympics will globalize visibility.
- The 10% Associate Member funding boost will deepen grassroots strength.
- And the new governance structure will ensure informed, modern oversight.
Cricket, long defined by its gender divide, now stands at the brink of a balanced future. The ICC’s latest blueprint does more than plan tournaments it reimagines the women’s game as a central pillar of cricket’s global identity.
From Mumbai to Los Angeles, women’s cricket is no longer emerging it’s arrived, empowered, and expanding.
