Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has outlined key dates for several major international cricket tournaments between 2027 and 2031, confirming the windows for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cricket qualifiers, the 2028 T20 World Cups and the 2029 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
According to the global events calendar circulated to member boards following the ICC meetings in Dubai in October, the men’s and women’s Olympic qualifying tournaments will be held in January and February 2028. The next WTC final is scheduled to take place in England from June 8 to 12, 2029.
The calendar includes 12 men’s events, seven women’s tournaments and five Under-19 competitions, covering major international championships as well as qualification events. Some venues and operational details are yet to be finalised.
The latest schedule provides greater clarity on the international cricket calendar as the sport prepares for its return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028, marking cricket’s first Olympic appearance since 1900.
LA28 Olympic Cricket Qualification Schedule Revised
The ICC has moved the Olympic cricket qualifiers from their originally planned 2027 window to January and February 2028, leaving less than six months between the qualification tournaments and the Los Angeles Games.
The governing body has also revised the qualification arrangements for the United States, which will host the Olympic competitions.
In the women’s event, Australia, India, South Africa and Great Britain have already secured qualification as the highest-ranked eligible teams from their respective continents, based on performances at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
For the men’s competition, direct qualification will be determined by the ICC Men’s T20I rankings as of December 31, 2026. The highest-ranked eligible teams from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania will secure places through the continental qualification pathway.
The United States are eligible for automatic qualification in both competitions, provided their teams satisfy the ICC’s ranking requirements.
Under the criteria announced in June, the USA men’s and women’s teams must have been ranked among the top 15 in the relevant T20I rankings at some point between June 30 and December 31, 2026.
The USA men’s team, currently ranked 13th, are positioned to meet the requirement, while the women’s side, ranked 19th, face uncertainty over their participation.
ICC Revises USA Women’s Olympic Qualification Pathway
The ICC has changed the procedure for allocating the women’s Olympic qualification place if the United States fail to meet the host-nation ranking requirement by December 31, 2026.
Under the earlier arrangement, the vacant place would have gone to the highest-ranked non-qualified team in the women’s T20I rankings as of March 1, 2027.
However, the revised criteria link the allocation to the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in India in February 2027.
The ICC has yet to announce the venues for either Olympic qualifying tournament. Both events will feature eight teams, comprising seven of the highest-ranked eligible teams outside the automatic qualifiers and the winner of the Caribbean regional qualifying competition.
2028 Women’s and Men’s T20 World Cups Scheduled
The ICC has also confirmed the windows for the two senior T20 World Cups in 2028, with the women’s tournament scheduled to conclude just 11 days before the men’s competition begins.
The 12-team Women’s T20 World Cup will take place in Pakistan from September 7 to October 1, 2028.
Australia and New Zealand will jointly host the 20-team Men’s T20 World Cup from October 12 to November 12, 2028.
The consecutive scheduling will make 2028 a significant year for international T20 cricket, with both the women’s and men’s competitions taking place within a little over two months.
2030 Men’s T20 World Cup Window Shifted
The ICC has also adjusted the proposed window for the 2030 Men’s T20 World Cup, moving the tournament from June to July and August.
England, Ireland and Scotland have been awarded hosting rights for the 20-team competition.
The revised schedule adds further detail to the ICC’s long-term tournament planning, although additional information on venues and qualification arrangements for several events remains pending.
WTC Final Confirmed for June 2029
The 2029 World Test Championship final will be held in England from June 8 to 12, providing a confirmed window for the culmination of the next cycle of the ICC’s premier Test competition.
With Olympic qualification, two T20 World Cups and the WTC final now included in the updated calendar, the ICC has offered member boards a clearer picture of the international commitments ahead.
Further announcements regarding venues, qualification procedures and other outstanding details are expected in due course.
