ICC Plans Big Cricket Push in China
The International Cricket Council is preparing a major expansion of cricket in China, with plans for a Centre of Excellence and a Tier-2 international event.
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the governing body is working with the Chinese Cricket Association to build a Centre of Excellence modeled on the ICC Academy in the UAE. The facility would strengthen player development and high-performance programs.
The ICC also wants China to include cricket in its National Games, which would bring wider government and provincial support. Cricket is currently played in nine of China's 22 provinces, with school programs planned in Shandong and Tianjin.
A new 1,500-capacity venue has already been launched. Women's cricket will be a key part of the strategy, and the 2026 men's and women's T20 World Cups were streamed in Mandarin on Chinese platforms.
The push is powered by cricket's return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The final week of the 2026 men's T20 World Cup generated 4.4 million video views in China, and the ICC aims to add 500 million fans globally.
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