The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended the membership of USA Cricket with immediate effect, citing repeated breaches of obligations under its constitution.
Suspension but Continued Participation
Despite the suspension, the ICC clarified that the United States national teams will continue to compete in its tournaments. This includes the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, as well as preparations for cricket’s return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. The ICC will temporarily oversee the management and administration of the teams.
Reasons Behind the Action
The ICC said USA Cricket failed to establish a functional governance structure and showed little progress in securing national governing body (NGB) status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee — a requirement for cricket to feature at the LA Olympics. The council also flagged actions that had caused “reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”
Previous Warnings Ignored
USA Cricket had been placed “on notice” at the ICC’s 2024 Annual General Meeting for non-compliance with membership criteria and was given 12 months to resolve the issues. While some progress was reported, the ICC concluded that key concerns over governance, finance, and administration remained unresolved.
Long Association with ICC
The United States has been an associate member of the ICC since 1965. They featured at the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, reaching the Super 8 stage and thereby qualifying automatically for the 2026 edition.
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