File photo. The White Ferns at Eden Park. Photo: Photosport / Andrew Cornaga
The Women's T20 World Cup will expand to 12 teams for the 2026 tournament in England and grow to a 16-nation competition for 2030, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced.
The tournament started with eight teams in 2009, before rising to 10 teams from the 2014 edition.
Ten teams will take part in the 2024 tournament in Bangladesh in October, where Australia will aim to win a record-extending fourth successive title.
The increase in size could benefit Ireland and Scotland. Ireland qualified in 2023 but have not made it to this year's tournament, while Scotland will compete this year after failing to qualify last time.
Deandra Dottin of the West Indies. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 2026 tournament will see England host for the first time since 2009, with the staging rights for 2030 yet to be awarded by the ICC.
At its annual conference in Sri Lanka the ICC also put the governing bodies of two Associate members - USA Cricket and Cricket Chile - formally on notice.
A statement said both bodies have been given 12 months to address "non-compliance with ICC membership criteria due to the lack of fit-for-purpose detailed governance and administrative structure and systems".
USA Cricket has been beset by administrative issues in recent years with a high turnover of staff at senior and board level.
It is without a chief executive after terminating the contract of Dr Noor Mohammad Murad in March, although a shortlist of candidates is set to be finalised in the near future.
The US co-hosted the T20 World Cup but USA Cricket had no role in the organisation of the tournament which was passed to the ICC's own local organising committee, T20 USA Inc.
ICC officials are also concerned at USA Cricket's failure to address governance criteria issues outlined by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
The White Ferns' Katey Martin bats against the West Indies in the 2022 World Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
USA Cricket is required to fulfil these to earn its status as the national governing body under USOPC, a requirement for all sports which will feature at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
Cricket will be played at the Olympics for the first time since 1900 at LA 2028.
If USA Cricket is unable to resolve the issues within 12 months, it could have its membership of the ICC suspended which would see funding cut and affect eligibility to participate in ICC-sanctioned matches and tournaments.
USA Cricket's predecessor as the country's governing body for cricket - USA Cricket Association - was formally expelled in 2017 after multiple suspensions.
- BBC