The 1979 ICC Trophy was a limited overs cricket tournament held in England between 22 May and 21 June 1979.

The World Cup began on 9 June, just three days after Sri Lanka and Canada qualified for it by winning their ICC Trophy semi-finals.

Sri Lanka won the first ICC Trophy defeating Canada by 60 runs in the final.

Each team played each other team in its group once in matches played between 22 May and 4 June, scoring four points for a win and two for a no-result (match started but not finished) or abandoned entirely without a ball being bowled.

Where teams finished with equal points totals, run rate was used to separate them.