The Melbourne Cricket Ground is reportedly set to host the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup final, its second T20 World Cup title match after 2022. Alongside the venue news, the ICC has revised the tournament structure, introducing a Super 10 stage and two eliminators. Here is the data behind the changes.
2028 T20 World Cup: Tournament Snapshot
Australia and New Zealand will jointly host the 2028 edition from October 12 to November 12. The tournament will feature 20 teams and 55 matches across an expected eight host cities.
The ICC has not yet confirmed the full venue list or the match allocation between the two co-hosts. The details below are based on a report by 9News.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|
| Hosts | Australia and New Zealand |
| Dates | October 12 to November 12, 2028 |
| Teams | 20 |
| Matches | 55 |
| Expected host cities | 8 |
MCG Set for a Second T20 World Cup Final
The MCG, with a capacity of around 100,000, will reportedly stage the final. It previously hosted the 2022 final between England and Pakistan.
The ground has a strong record of hosting major finals across formats. That history is a likely factor in its selection.
MCG's Major International Finals
| Year | Tournament |
|---|
| 1992 | Men's ODI World Cup final |
| 2015 | Men's ODI World Cup final |
| 2020 | Women's T20 World Cup final |
| 2022 | Men's T20 World Cup final |
That makes four global finals at the venue across three tournament types. Hosting the 2028 final would extend the count to five.
Perth Leads Semifinal Race, Adelaide Misses Out
Optus Stadium in Perth is reportedly in contention for one semifinal. New Zealand is expected to host the other, while Sydney and Adelaide are unlikely to receive semifinal fixtures.
Perth's time zone is considered more convenient for Indian television audiences. If India qualifies for the last four, the team could be allocated the Perth match, depending on the final schedule.
Expected Host Cities
| Co-host | Likely venues | Count |
|---|
| Australia | Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane | 5 |
| New Zealand | Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington | 3 |
Adelaide Oval has reportedly missed out on both the final and a semifinal. The decision is believed to be linked to disagreements over Cricket Australia's plan to privatise the Big Bash League.
CA has approved the plan, which allows states and clubs to sell commercial stakes in their Team Participation Agreements. Adelaide previously hosted a 2015 ODI World Cup quarter-final and the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal between India and England.
New Format: Super 10 and Two Eliminators
The ICC announced the revised structure after its Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh. It will be used for the first time in 2028.
The first round moves to five groups of four teams, replacing four groups of five. The top two from each group advance, which sends 10 teams to the second stage.
Format Comparison
| Stage | Previous format | 2028 format |
|---|
| Opening round | 4 groups of 5 teams | 5 groups of 4 teams |
| Teams advancing per group | 2 | 2 |
| Second stage | Super Eight | Super 10 (2 groups of 5) |
| Route to semifinals | Top 2 from each Super Eight group | Group winners plus 2 eliminator winners |
| Eliminators | None | 2 |
How the Eliminators Work
The winners of the two Super 10 groups qualify directly for the semifinals. Teams finishing second and third in each group face opponents from the other group in cross-pool eliminators.
The two eliminator winners take the remaining semifinal spots. This means three of the five teams in each Super 10 group retain a route to the last four, up from two of four under the Super Eight system.
Analytical Takeaways
The new structure adds two knockout fixtures, increasing the number of high-stakes matches before the semifinals. It also rewards group-stage consistency, since the group winners bypass the eliminators.
For broadcasters and organisers, the venue allocation carries commercial weight. The reported Perth semifinal plan reflects the importance of Indian viewing windows. Final fixtures remain unconfirmed until the ICC releases the official schedule.