ICC Associate Members: Cricket's Growth Nations and Pathway to Full Membership
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has 12 Full Members (the traditional Test-playing nations) and over 90 Associate Members — countries where cricket is played but has not reached Full Member status. Associate cricket is a distinct tier of the international game with its own World Cups, rankings, and development pathways. Ireland and Afghanistan's promotions to Full Member status in 2017 showed that Associate nations can reach the highest level of the sport.
ICC membership structure: the ICC has three tiers of membership. Full Members (12): the Test-playing nations with full voting rights and full participation in all ICC events — Australia, England, India, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan. Associate Members (90+ countries): nations where cricket is established but has not reached Full Member status — they play in ICC qualifying events and regional competitions, and some participate in ICC World Cups. Affiliate Members: the lowest tier (basic membership), for nations just beginning cricket development with limited playing structure.
Ireland and Afghanistan Rise
Ireland and Afghanistan as model Associate stories: Ireland and Afghanistan were elevated to Full ICC Membership in 2017 — both having been Associate Members who qualified for and competed in ICC World Cups as Associate nations. Ireland's rise: Ireland famously beat Pakistan in the 2007 ODI World Cup (a 3-wicket upset in Jamaica) and England in the 2011 World Cup — proving their ODI quality while still an Associate. They had been competing in ICC Trophy (the Associate nations tournament) since the 1990s. Afghanistan's rise: the Afghanistan cricket story began with Afghan refugees playing cricket in refugee camps in Pakistan in the 1980s-90s. Their national team was founded in the early 2000s and rose through the ICC World Cricket League divisions with remarkable speed. Both nations were granted Full Membership and Test status in 2017.
Associate World Cups
ICC events for Associates: Associate nations compete in several ICC-governed events. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup now includes 20 teams — significantly more than the early editions (10 teams in 2007) — creating space for Associates. The qualification pathway for the T20 World Cup involves Regional qualifiers (Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and East Asia-Pacific regions) feeding into global qualifying tournaments, with the best Associates earning World Cup places. The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup (ODI) has been more restricted — 10 teams in recent editions means fewer Associate slots. The ICC World Cricket League (WCL) and ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier are the key stepping-stone competitions for Associates.
Netherlands Scotland
Netherlands and Scotland as established Associates: the Netherlands and Scotland are among the strongest Associate cricket nations that have not yet been elevated to Full Member status. The Netherlands: regularly qualifies for World Cups, beat England (the then-world champions) in a 2022 ODI series, and plays in a domestic Dutch cricket competition. Scottish cricket: Scotland has beaten Test-playing nations including Pakistan (2018 T20 World Cup qualifier) and has produced international players who have also played county cricket. Both nations operate full-time professional cricket setups with contracted players and coaching staffs — a model for how Associate cricket can develop with sustained investment and ICC development funding.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries play cricket in the ICC?
The ICC (International Cricket Council) has over 100 member nations in total, divided into three tiers: 12 Full Members (the traditional Test-playing nations with voting rights at the ICC — Australia, England, India, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan); approximately 90+ Associate Members (countries where cricket is established with structured competitions but have not reached Full Member status — includes the Netherlands, Scotland, UAE, USA, Oman, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, and many others); Affiliate Members (the lowest tier, basic ICC membership for nations in early cricket development). Cricket is played in 105+ countries, making it one of the world's most geographically widespread sports.
How did Ireland and Afghanistan become Full ICC Members?
Ireland and Afghanistan were elevated to Full ICC Membership (and Test status) simultaneously in June 2017 — the first new Full Members since Bangladesh in 2000. Both countries earned elevation through demonstrated sustained cricket development: Ireland had competed as an Associate in multiple ODI and T20 World Cups, reaching the 2011 ODI World Cup Super Eight stage, and had beaten Test-playing nations in World Cup matches (Pakistan 2007, England 2011). Afghanistan developed cricket from refugee camps in Pakistan in the 1980s-90s, rose through every ICC regional division with extraordinary speed, and qualified for and performed in T20 and ODI World Cups as an Associate. Both nations had professional cricket structures, domestic leagues, and a clear pathway to sustaining Test cricket. They played their first Test matches in 2018.
What is the ICC Associate cricket World Cup pathway?
Associate nations qualify for ICC World Cups through a tiered regional and global qualifying structure. For the T20 World Cup (20 teams since 2022): (1) Regional qualifying events in each ICC region (Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, East Asia-Pacific) determine regional champions; (2) Regional champions and runners-up enter a global qualifying tournament; (3) The best performers in global qualifying earn spots in the final T20 World Cup. For the ODI World Cup (10 teams): qualification is more difficult with fewer Associate spots. The ICC also operates the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League events (ODI format) for Associates — with promotion and relegation determining which Associates are closest to the top-tier qualifying competitions. The ICC World Cricket League (WCL) is the oldest structure for Associate one-day cricket, with multiple divisions from Division 1 (top Associates) down to Division 4.