Australia urge 17-player squads for expanded 2027 ODI World Cup

Australia have called for larger squad sizes for the expanded 2027 ODI World Cup, with 2023 World Cup winning coach Andrew McDonald urging teams be permitted 17-player squads. The tournament’s format now means the finalists are set to play 13 games compared to 11 four years ago.

The recommendation comes from Australia and was articulated by 2023 World Cup winning coach Andrew McDonald, who specifically called for 17-player squads for the 2027 event. The competition has been expanded for 2027, and the schedule for teams reaching the final will feature a total of 13 matches. That increase — two more games than the 11 played by finalists at the previous edition four years earlier — underpins the call for larger rosters.

Australia’s appeal for larger squad sizes centers on McDonald’s proposal for 17-player squads, a figure he has publicly advocated. The proposal is tied directly to the expanded match program planned for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Those details — the 17-player recommendation and the 13-match load for finalists — have been presented together in statements linked to Australia and McDonald.

The contrast with the prior tournament is clear in the numbers: finalists in the earlier edition played 11 games, while the new schedule stipulates 13 matches for teams that reach the final. That numerical comparison has been cited as part of Australia’s reasoning in arguing for increased squad allowances. McDonald’s position is recorded as urging teams be permitted 17-player rosters to account for the greater number of fixtures.

Public references identify McDonald as the coach who led Australia to the 2023 World Cup title and as the individual calling for the 17-player squads. The call is explicitly framed around the 2027 tournament’s expanded format and the higher match count for finalists. Australia has positioned the squad-size request in relation to those specific scheduling changes.

The 17-player proposal and the fact that the finalists are set to play 13 games compared to 11 four years ago remain the central, stated elements of Australia’s stance on squad sizes for the 2027 ODI World Cup. These two facts form the basis of the recommendation advanced by McDonald and reported on behalf of Australia.