Two cricket nations set to Join ICC at 2025 annual meeting in Singapore

The first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Cricket Council (ICC) under new chairman Jay Shah is set to take place in Singapore from July 17. This four-day gathering marks the beginning of a new phase for international cricket governance and will be the first ICC meeting attended by newly appointed CEO Sanjog Gupta. A number of major issues are likely to dominate discussions at the gathering.

Among the headline stories will be the proposed introduction of a two-tier Test system. The system, said to be favored by Australia and England, envisions a promotion-relegation arrangement in the traditional format. Leading teams such as India, England, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand would possibly be in a higher tier, with below-par teams in the Test rankings possibly moving to a second level. However, this model will not affect the current World Test Championship (2025–27) and would be implemented only after that cycle, subject to approval.

Expansion is also expected to be a key theme. The T20 World Cup, currently contested by 20 teams, might be expanded to 24 teams after the 2026 edition. Moreover, with cricket returning to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the meeting will also focus on finalizing the qualification structure for the event. These topics highlight the ICC's desire to develop the game globally and also make it more inclusive.

ICC Eyes Membership Expansion and Financial Oversight

Another important discussion point at the AGM will be ICC members, as Zambia is expected to be reinstated as an Associate Member following its suspension in 2019, and East Timor is hoping to become a member of the ICC for the first time. This move will further the ICC’s efforts to globalize the game and support emerging cricket nations. The election of Associate Members onto the Chief Executives Committee (CEC) will also be held during the conference.

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Additionally, financial mismanagement of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies will come under scrutiny. Allegations of overspending during the tournament reportedly caused former ICC CEO Geoff Allardice to resign earlier this year. Sanjog Gupta will provide a detailed report on the issue, including accountability processes and future financial guidelines.