The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended USA Cricket (USAC) with immediate effect, bringing an end to months of frustration around the board’s governance. The decision, taken during a virtual ICC Board meeting, comes after repeated warnings to USAC to fix its leadership and constitutional shortcomings.
Why has ICC suspended USA?
The suspension follows USAC’s failure to conduct free and fair elections, introduce independent directors, and gain recognition as a National Governing Body (NGB) with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). These reforms were critical, as cricket prepares for its debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Instead, the ICC accused the board of “repeated and continued breaches” that have caused reputational damage to the sport in the United States.
A Normalisation Committee, led by ICC officials, will now step in to oversee governance and high-performance operations of USA’s national sides. This intervention, according to ICC, is “unfortunate but necessary” to protect the long-term interests of the sport in a key growth market.
No threat to T20 World Cup 2026 or LA28 participation
The immediate question for players and fans was whether the suspension would affect USA’s place in global tournaments. The ICC has confirmed that the USA’s men’s and women’s teams will remain eligible to compete in international competitions. That includes the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, where the USA have already qualified directly after reaching the Super Eight stage at the 2024 edition. The biggest moment for USA came in the tournament when they beat Pakistan in a Super Over in New York.
Equally important, cricket’s return to the Olympics is unaffected as well. USA teams are expected to feature at LA28, given their status as hosts, with six nations competing in both men’s and women’s events. The ICC clarified that the suspension of USAC’s administration will not jeopardise cricket’s Olympic inclusion. Preparations for LA28 will continue under ICC supervision until USAC puts its house in order.
“The decision, taken by the ICC Board during its meeting earlier, was based on USA Cricket’s repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as an ICC Member under the ICC’s Constitution,” an ICC press release said. “These include, but are not limited to, the failure to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress toward achieving National Governing Body status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”
For USAC to regain its membership, it must comply with a detailed roadmap laid out by the Normalisation Committee. This includes stepping down of the current board, restructuring governance, and fresh elections. Until then, the ICC will directly oversee the management of USA teams.
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