ICC announces schedule for upcoming East Asia-Pacific Qualifiers
Media Release
• Japan to host largest ICC Men’s EAP Event ever with nine teams at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier contending to move one step closer to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028
• Asian Games venue in Nisshin, Aichi to host first-ever Men’s T20 International matches
• Papua New Guinea host combined ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier with five teams vying for one spot at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027
• Fixture graphics of both events are available for download via the ICC Online Media Zone
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the East Asia-Pacific schedule and qualification pathway for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028.
As cricket continues its rapid growth throughout the EAP region with more Members participating than ever before, these pathway tournaments will provide nations with a crucial opportunity to compete for the ultimate prize and move one step closer to securing a spot at an ICC World Cup event.
The action in the region commenced today with the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier, which takes place from 8-13 April, staged in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The hosts welcomed Fiji, Indonesia, Samoa and Vanuatu.
The format is a single round-robin, where the winning team will qualify for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 in Bangladesh and Nepal. The event is the first time that Vanuatu have played in an ICC U19 Women’s Pathway Event.
Cricket PNG Chairman, Michael Harrison, said: "This is an exciting tournament for Cricket PNG as we show once again that PNG can host international events to the exacting requirements of the ICC."
Japan will stage the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in May. This will be the largest East Asia-Pacific Qualifier tournament ever hosted, with nine teams competing across two prefectures. Sano International Cricket Ground and Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin City will be used across the tournament, with Nisshin City to stage its first ever international match prior to it being used as the venue for the Asian Games in September 2026.
Hosts Japan will be joined by the Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, thePhilippines, the Republic of Korea, Samoa and Vanuatu, as they each look to move one step closer to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028.
The tournament will take place in two stages: a Group Stage from 8-10 May, followed by a Super Six Stage from 12-18 May. Teams are split into three groups of three, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage. At the end of the Super Six, the top teams will earn their place in the next stage as they look to qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028 in Australia and New Zealand.
Chief Operations Officer at Japan Cricket Association, Alan Curr, said**:** “This is an extraordinary opportunity for Japan to show our capacity to host pathway events for the EAP Region across multiple venues.”
“We will be stretched like no time ever before but are confident we can deliver an event that will showcase the best of the EAP region as well as create excitement for cricket at the Asian Games later this year.”
2026 Match Schedules:
ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier
Wednesday 8th April
Samoa v Vanuatu AM
PNG v Fiji PM
Thursday 9th April
Indonesia v Samoa AM
PNG v Vanuatu PM
Friday 10th April
Fiji v Indonesia AM
Saturday 11th April
PNG v Samoa AM
Vanuatu v Fiji PM
Sunday 12th April
PNG v Indonesia AM
Monday 13th April
Samoa v Fiji AM
Indonesia v Vanuatu PM
All matches will take place at Amini Park, Port Moresby, starting at 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM local time.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier
Group 1 – Japan, Fiji, Vanuatu
Group 2 – Samoa, Philippines, Indonesia
Group 3 – Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Republic of Korea
Group matches will take place at Sano International Cricket Ground, Sano, Tochigi and Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin City, Aichi.
Friday 8th May
PHL v IDN 9:30 AM – SANO
FIJ v VAN 9:30 AM – NISSHIN
CIS v KOR 2:00 PM – NISSHIN
Saturday 9th May
IDN v SAM 9:30 AM – SANO
VAN v JPN 9:30 AM – NISSHIN
KOR v PNG 2:00 PM – NISSHIN
Sunday 10th May
SAM v PHL 9:30 AM – SANO
JPN v FIJ 9:30 AM – NISSHIN
PNG v CIS 2:00 PM – NISSHIN
All Super 6 Matches will take place at Sano International Cricket Ground, starting at 9:30AM and 2:00 PM local time.
Tuesday 12th May
G2Q1 v G1Q2 AM
G2Q2 v G3Q2 PM
Wednesday 13th May
G3Q1 v G1Q1 AM
G2Q1 v G3Q2 PM
Thursday 14th May
G1Q2 v G3Q1 AM
G1Q1 v G2Q2 PM
Saturday 16th May
G2Q2 v G1Q2 AM
G1Q1 v G2Q1 PM
Sunday 17th May
G3Q2 v G2Q2 AM
G1Q2 v G3Q1 PM
Monday 18th May
G3Q2 v G2Q1 AM
G3Q1 v G1Q1 PM
Matches will be live and free on ICC.tv in select territories.