ICC — International Cricket Council

What is the ICC?

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international body for cricket. It describes itself in these words: “The ICC is the global governing body for cricket. Representing 111 members, the ICC governs and administrates the game and works with our members to grow the sport.”^[1] Its members are national cricket boards, in two categories — Full Members, which play Test cricket, and Associate Members.^[2]

The ICC’s own account of its functions is that it “presides over the ICC Code of Conduct, playing conditions, the Decision Review System and other ICC regulations”, “appoints all match officials that officiate at all sanctioned international matches”, coordinates “action against corruption and match fixing” through its Anti-Corruption Unit, and is “responsible for the staging of all ICC Events”.^[1]

The ICC does not write the Laws of Cricket. The Marylebone Cricket Club states that “MCC are the custodians of the Laws of Cricket and are responsible for the debating, decision making and drafting of the Laws”, and that “Although the International Cricket Council is the global Governing Body for cricket, it still relies on MCC to write and interpret the Laws of Cricket”.^[9] ASOIF’s record of the ICC names Jay Shah as chair and Sanjog Gupta as chief executive.^[3]

What does the ICC govern or do?

International cricket is played under the MCC’s Laws — currently the 2017 Code, 4th edition (2026) — as modified by the ICC. The MCC explains that “Certain levels of cricket are subject to playing regulations, which may create subtle differences to the Laws themselves. This is most high profile at international level, where the ICC applies playing conditions”.^[9] The ICC’s own rule set comprises its playing conditions, the ICC Code of Conduct and the Decision Review System, and it appoints the match officials for all sanctioned international matches.^[1] See officials and referees.

The ICC publishes world rankings for men and for women: team rankings and batting, bowling and all-rounder rankings for players, across Test, one-day international and Twenty20 international cricket.^[12] See world rankings.

Integrity is a named ICC function: its Anti-Corruption Unit coordinates “action against corruption and match fixing”.^[1] See match-fixing and betting and sport. On doping, the ICC is a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code.^[7]

The MCC’s Laws apply, in its words, “from the village green to the Test arena”; the ICC’s playing conditions apply at international level, while domestic competitions such as the IPL sit outside the ICC’s own events.^[9][1]

When was the ICC founded and where is it based?

No history page on the ICC’s own site could be retrieved. Olympedia, a source independent of the ICC, records that the body was founded on 15 June 1909 in London, as the Imperial Cricket Conference, by England, Australia and South Africa.^[2] ASOIF’s record of the ICC also gives “Founded: 1909”.^[3]

Founding and renaming are separate dates. Olympedia states: “At the July 1965 meeting, the ICC changed its name to International Cricket Conference (ICC), allowing entry to the rest of the world.” It dates the change to the present name, International Cricket Council, to July 1989, the acronym ICC being kept throughout.^[2]

The headquarters moved in 2005. Olympedia records: “In August 2005, the ICC set up its new headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In the same year, the ICC and the IWCC would merge to form one unified body to manage and develop cricket worldwide.”^[2] ASOIF’s member record gives the address as “Street 69, Dubai Sports City, Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai United Arab Emirates”.^[3] The ICC’s constitutional documents, which would state its legal form and registered seat, could not be retrieved.

How is the ICC recognised?

IOC recognition. Olympedia’s organisation page records the ICC as “Recognized by the IOC | 2009”.^[2] It does not say whether that recognition was provisional or full, and no IOC or ICC document giving the decision could be retrieved; the year rests on Olympedia alone.

Umbrella bodies. The ICC appears on the member list of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), retrieved on 30 September 2026.^[6] It is also listed by the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations: ASOIF’s record gives “Member Since ASOIF: 2025”, and the ICC is one of the six federations in ASOIF’s “Associate Members” listing, not among its 30 full members.^[3][5][4] WADA’s list of Code signatories files the “International Cricket Council (ICC)” under “ARISF members (Assoc. of IOC Recognized International Sports Federations)”.^[7]

Olympic programme. Olympedia records that cricket’s only previous Olympic contest was at Paris 1900, and that “At the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket as an optional sport for the 2028 Olympics, along with four other sports.”^[2] The LA28 organising committee lists a “6-team tournament” for men and another for women, in the “T20 format”, at the Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium in Pomona.^[8] See Olympic programme.

What does the ICC organise?

The ICC states that it is “responsible for the staging of all ICC Events”, the international tournaments that carry its name.^[1] Its tournament hubs include the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC World Test Championship, the last a competition across Test series for which the ICC publishes standings.^[10][11][13]

The most recent men’s event is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, won by India, as the ICC’s tournament hub records.^[10] Before that, India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the ICC reporting the final’s broadcast audience in India on 21 March 2025.^[11] The ICC’s World Test Championship hub covers the current cycle, which it names the “ICC World Test Championship 2025–27”, and links to its standings.^[13]

Cricket’s next Olympic appearance is scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028, with men’s and women’s six-team T20 tournaments at the Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium in Pomona; the LA28 committee describes it as cricket’s “long-awaited return to the Olympic stage, after its one and only Olympic performance at the Paris Games in 1900.”^[8] See Olympic Games.

Who are its members?

The ICC counts 111 members.^[1] Olympedia gives the split: “as of July 2026, the ICC has 12 Full Members (those that play Test cricket) and 99 Associate Members.”^[2] ASOIF’s record of the ICC gives a lower figure, 105 national associations, and carries no date.^[3] The ICC’s own figure of 111 equals Olympedia’s dated total of 12 plus 99.

Full Members are the national boards that play Test cricket; Associate Members make up the rest of the membership, 99 of the 111 in Olympedia’s July 2026 count.^[2] The ICC’s constitutional rules on admission, voting and the regional structure could not be retrieved from its site.

Olympedia records the ICC’s chair, Jay Shah, as Indian and in office since 2024; ASOIF’s record names Sanjog Gupta as chief executive and lists the ICC’s website and Dubai contact details.^[2][3] Every sanctioned international match between members is officiated by match officials the ICC appoints.^[1]