The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to launch its own mobile cricket game. The idea is to create a new source of income as broadcast revenues are expected to fall in the next media cycle. India’s mobile gaming market alone was worth around USD 3 billion in 2024, showing the huge potential of this project.
But the move has led to a major dispute. The World Cricketers Association (WCA), which represents nearly 600 players from 15 top cricket nations, has accused the ICC of trying to control player image rights. These rights include the use of players’ names, images, and likeness (NIL). According to the WCA, these rights are already covered under a binding agreement with the ICC.
ICC Begins Working on Gaming Plans; WCA Opposes
The issue came up after the ICC presented its gaming plans in April 2025. The matter was again discussed at the ICC Annual General Meeting in Singapore in July. Reports suggest some member boards want to negotiate NIL rights directly with players. The WCA sees this as a violation of its agreement and a threat to players’ commercial interests.
WCA CEO Tom Moffat has warned players not to sign separate deals with boards or the ICC. He believes the approach is a direct attack on players’ rights. Moffat even pointed to past disputes, like the NFT controversy in 2021 and licensing disagreements during the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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For the ICC, gaming is seen as a future goldmine. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta has said gaming is now bigger than movies. The ICC has already shortlisted developers and hired consultants like A&W Capital to build models for finance and distribution.
But the WCA is not new to this space. In 2024, it signed a licensing deal with the makers of Real Cricket. Many players already receive royalties from such partnerships. For this reason, the ICC’s plan is not only a contractual fight but also a challenge to existing deals.
