ICC and World Cricketers Association Set for Clash Over Player Image Rights in Mobile Game Dispute
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the World Cricketers Association (WCA) appear to be headed towards a legal and commercial standoff over player image licensing rights for a new global mobile cricket game the ICC is planning to launch.
The dispute centres around the use of player name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights—an increasingly valuable asset in the booming mobile gaming industry, particularly in India, which was valued at approximately US$3 billion in 2024.
WCA Accuses ICC of Breach of Agreement
The WCA, formerly known as FICA and now representing nearly 600 players from 15 of the top 20 cricket-playing nations, has accused the ICC and “some” member boards of attempting to “own” player NIL rights beyond the scope of a previously agreed framework.
In a strongly worded email to players dated August 12, WCA CEO Tom Moffat alleged that the ICC’s proposed mobile game is being developed without the necessary player approvals or agreements.
“It appears the ICC wants to use and sell your rights at the global level and doesn’t want you and your colleagues to have a say collectively on how your rights are used, and how you get paid for them,” Moffat wrote.
The WCA claims this move breaches a binding agreement between itself and the ICC, which stipulates that licensed products such as mobile games cannot be developed or commercialised without WCA approval.
ICC Eyes Mobile Gaming as Revenue Stream
The ICC’s interest in mobile gaming is driven by a strategic need to diversify its revenue streams, particularly in anticipation of declining broadcast values in the 2028–2031 rights cycle. The mobile game project was first presented to member boards in April, with further discussions taking place during the ICC’s Annual General Meeting in Singapore in July.
According to reports, some member boards indicated they preferred to negotiate NIL rights directly with their players, a position the WCA strongly opposes.
WCA's Existing Deals and Legal Concerns
The WCA has already entered the mobile gaming market, having signed licensing agreements with three developers, including Real Cricket. That deal, announced in August 2024, covers NIL rights for over 250 professional cricketers and has already begun generating royalty payments for the players involved.
However, the WCA also claims that several Indian companies continue to use player NIL rights without authorisation or providing revenue to players, further intensifying the need to protect these rights.
Moffat has warned players not to sign any agreements directly with boards or the ICC regarding the mobile game and to report any such approaches to the WCA or their national player associations.
“The ICC’s current approach appears to be a direct attack on players,” Moffat stated. “Despite being aware that nearly 600 international players have exclusively licensed certain NIL rights to the WCA, the ICC continues to pursue unilateral development of this product.”
Involvement of Winners Alliance and Broader Context
Adding further complexity, the WCA has partnered with Winners Alliance, a commercial entity backed by tennis star Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players Association. Winners Alliance has been managing global commercial rights on behalf of WCA players and had offered to work with the ICC for over 18 months, but the ICC has reportedly refused to engage with them.
The WCA argues that the ICC and some boards are abusing their "dominant position within the economic market in cricket" by attempting to bypass the players’ collective representatives.
History of NIL Disputes
This isn’t the first conflict between players and the ICC over NIL rights. In 2021, players refused to sign agreements after their NIL rights were sold in an NFT deal without consent. Similar tensions arose again in 2024 ahead of the T20 World Cup, when discussions over men’s player terms fell apart.
In recent months, similar disputes have emerged at the national level. Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) were reported to be in conflict with their respective player associations over the use of player images in mobile games, particularly with Real Cricket. While WCA has reportedly resolved the issue with NZC, discussions with CA remain ongoing.
ICC Yet to Respond
ESPNcricinfo reached out to the ICC for comment on the ongoing controversy but had not received a response at the time of publication.
As the situation develops, this standoff may set a precedent for how image rights are handled in the growing digital sports market, and could significantly impact how future mobile cricket content is created, licensed, and monetised.