The 2026 Men's T20 World Cup qualification is the process by which teams will qualify for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[1] A series of regional qualification tournaments will determine the teams which will take part in the tournament.[2]
Hosts India and Sri Lanka will qualify directly as hosts, they will be joined by the top eight teams from the previous edition who get qualified automatically, and depending on the finishing positions of the hosts in previous edition, the best two to four teams (other than the ones already qualified) from the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings will also qualify for the tournament. The remaining eight teams will be decided by regional qualifiers.
Qualified teams
Team | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Venues | Number of teams |
Total times qualified |
Last time qualified |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
India | Hosts | 16 November 2021 | 2 | 10 | 2024 | |
Sri Lanka | 10 | 2024 | ||||
Afghanistan | 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup (Top 7 teams from the previous edition other than the 2026 hosts) |
17 June 2024 | United States West Indies |
7 | 8 | 2024 |
Australia | 10 | 2024 | ||||
Bangladesh | 10 | 2024 | ||||
England | 10 | 2024 | ||||
South Africa | 10 | 2024 | ||||
United States | 2 | 2024 | ||||
West Indies | 10 | 2024 | ||||
Ireland | ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings | 30 June 2024 | 3[a] | 9 | 2024 | |
New Zealand | 10 | 2024 | ||||
Pakistan | 10 | 2024 | ||||
TBD | Europe Qualifier | 2 | ||||
TBD | ||||||
TBD | East Asia-Pacific Qualifier | 1 | ||||
TBD | Americas Qualifier | 1 | ||||
TBD | Asia Qualifier | 2 | ||||
TBD | ||||||
TBD | Africa Qualifier | 2 | ||||
TBD | ||||||
Total | 20 |
- ^ Since India finished in the top eight of the 2024 edition, three slots were allotted for qualification via rankings.
Format
Each qualifying competition will be held in two stages:
- Sub-regional qualifier: This stage comprises one or more tournaments depending on the ICC region. Matches are held in either single round-robin or double round-robin format. The stipulated number of teams advance into the next stage.
- Regional final: The teams unable to earn automatic qualification along with teams advancing from the sub-regional qualifier take part in this stage. Matches are held in either single round-robin or double round-robin format. The stipulated number of teams advance to the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Asia Qualifier
In the sub-regional phase, Qualifier A is scheduled to be held in Malaysia[3] Nepal and Oman get a bye directly into the regional final after participating in 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
The qualification stages are as follows:
- Qualifier A: Seven teams, played in double round-robin format between 30 August – 9 September 2024.
- Qualifier B: Yet to be announced.
- Regional Final: To be decided.
Asia sub-regional qualifier
Asia Qualifier A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First match(es) will be played: 30 August 2024. Source: [citation needed]
|
East Asia-Pacific Qualifier
In the sub-regional phase, Qualifier A is scheduled to be held in Apia, Samoa[4] while the Qualifier B will be held in South Korea.[5]
The qualification stages are as follows:
- Qualifier A: Four teams, played in double round-robin format between 17 – 24 August 2024.
- Qualifier B: Four teams, played in double round-robin format between 28 September – 5 October 2024.
- Regional Final: To be decided.
EAP sub-regional qualifier
EAP Qualifier A | EAP Qualifier B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First match(es) will be played: 17 August 2024. Source: [citation needed]
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First match(es) will be played: 28 September 2024. Source: [citation needed]
|
Europe Qualifier
In the sub-regional phase, Qualifier A is was held in Rome, Italy,[6] the Qualifier B will be held in Germany[7] while the Qualifier C will be held in Guernsey.[8][9]
The winners of the sub-regional qualifiers advance into the regional final, where they will join Scotland and Netherlands who received a bye after participating in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
- Qualifier A: Ten teams divided into two groups of five to play round-robin matches between 9 – 16 June 2024. The winners of each group advanced to the final. The winner of final advanced to the regional final.[10]
- Qualifier B: Ten teams divided into two groups of five to play round-robin matches between 7 – 14 July 2024.
- Qualifier C: Ten teams divided into two groups of five to play round-robin matches between 21 – 28 August 2024.
- Regional Final: To be decided.
Europe sub-regional qualifier
Europe Qualifier A
Group A | Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[11]
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[11]
|
Winner | Margin | Runners-up |
---|---|---|
Italy 244/4 (20 overs) |
Italy won by 160 runs scorecard |
Romania 84 (17.4 overs) |
Europe Qualifier B
Group A | Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
|
Group A | Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
|
Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
|
Europe Qualifier C
Group A | Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First match(es) will be played: 21 August 2024. Source: ESPNcricinfo[13]
|
First match(es) will be played: 21 August 2024. Source: ESPNcricinfo[13]
|
References
- ^ "Stop clock set to become a permanent fixture in white-ball internationals from T20 World Cup 2024". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "All you need to know about 2026 T20 World Cup qualification". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "Malaysia Cricket to host 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier A in August/September 2024". Czarsports. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Samoa Cricket to host 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup EAP Sub-regional Qualifier B in August 2024". Czarsportz. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "A historic first for South Korea as dates and venues for the 2024 Pathway Events are announced". International Cricket Council. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Italy Cricket to host 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub-regional Qualifier "A" in June 2024". Czarsportz. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Germany Cricket to host 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub-regional Qualifier "B" in July 2024". Czarsportz. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Guernsey to host 2026 T20 World Cup qualifier in August 2024". BBC Sport. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Busy summer ahead for ICC Europe". Cricket Europe. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "Qualificazioni World Cup T20 2026: Trionfo Italia. Azzurri Alla Seconda Fase Regionale" [World Cup T20 2026 Qualifying: Italy triumph. Azzurri in the second regional phase]. Federazione Cricket Italia (in Italian). 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ a b "EUPORE QLF 2024 - Points Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d "T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe QLF B 2024 - Points Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ a b "T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe QLF C 2024 - Points Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 July 2024.