Men's T20 World Cup: Picture clearer ahead of 2026 tournament

By Daniel Beswick

As the world enjoyed the first 20-team edition of the Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies in 2024, the make-up of the 2026 T20 World Cup takes shape through Regional Finals across the globe.

Joining the group of automatic qualifiers from 2024, Canada punched their ticket for a tournament return in 2026, thanks to their win at the recently concluded Americas Regional Final on home soil.

The Canadians completed an undefeated run on their road to India and Sri Lanka, brushing off the likes of Bermuda, Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands.

The 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup is again a 55-match affair, and the tournament will be played out in the same format, with four groups of five, before two Super Eights groups, semi-finals and a final to crown the next champion.

Before that though, the final seven teams for the tournament need to be decided across the remaining three regional finals.

Who is already in for T20 World Cup 2026?

As hosts, Sri Lanka and India take up the first two spots for 2026. From there, the next 10 spots were determined by Super Eight qualifiers at the 2024 edition, and ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings at the 30 June 2024 cut-off date.

Thanks to their strong First Round play and entry to the Super Eights, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies all secured 2026 T20 World Cup spots, as well as USA, who upstaged Pakistan in a Super Over to steal a Second Round spot in Group A.

Despite missing out on the Super Eights, Pakistan secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking, alongside New Zealand and Ireland.

Joining Canada will be the final seven entrants for the 2026 edition via the three remaining regional qualifiers.

Breaking down each region

Africa

Regional Final: September 19 to October 4
Qualification Spots Available: 2
Teams: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

A region that saw perhaps the biggest upset in regional qualifying in the last cycle when Uganda upstaged regional giants Zimbabwe, there will again be fierce competition when African teams do battle for T20 World Cup 2026 privileges.

Failing to reach the Super Eights stage of T20 World Cup 2024, Uganda and Namibia will enter at the regional final, though it's been a longer road for Zimbabwe, who were forced down a step to sub-regional action after their poor 2024 qualification campaign.

The Zimbabweans were one of 18 nations competing at the first level of qualifying, though were comfortable winners in their six-team group, accounting for the likes of Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Kenya.

Kenya too did enough to progress to the regional final, as well as the top two finishers in the other Sub-Regional groups, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria and Botswana.

Recent history and the rising competition across the continent makes the Africa Qualifier essential viewing, with Zimbabwe enjoying the privilege of Regional Final hosting honours.

Americas

Regional Final Completed
T20WC qualification spot taken by Canada

Having featured at last year’s Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean, Canada arrived into the Regional Qualifier as one of the favourites to progress, having also benefited from USA's automatic qualification for T20 World Cup 2026.

The side kickstarted their campaign with a comprehensive win against Bermuda by 110 runs to set the tone, and followed up with a 59-run win against Cayman Islands and a 10-wicket thumping of Bahamas.

The Canadians locked in their spot on the penultimate matchday, beating Bahamas and watching Bermuda lose to the Cayman Islands to put them in an unassailable lead.

The side then closed out with a win over Bermuda on Sunday, finishing three wins clear of their nearest rival for tournament tickets.

Asia/East Asia-Pacific

Regional Final: October 1 to October 17
Qualification Spots Available: 3
Teams: Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Samoa, UAE

The event with perhaps the most intrigue, budding qualifiers across two regions will combine in a nine-team Asia/East Asia-Pacific tournament, with three tournament available.

Almost 16,000 kilometres stretch between Eastern-most Samoa and Western-most Kuwait at the tournament, and the unknowns of opposition and styles of play make this Qualifier arguably the most open.

By virtue of their 2024 T20 World Cup participation, Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea were automatic entrants for the hybrid Qualifier, with the other six coming from two Sub-Regional events across each region.

Over in East Asia-Pacific, Samoa shocked the field to win their spot through Sub-Regional Qualifier A, beating out Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji on home soil in Apia.

Caleb Jasmat's side qualified in a final-over thriller on the last day of the competition, beating Vanuatu in a tense defence of 145, breaking the hearts of Cook Islands players watching on having been overtaken by the Samoan victory.

Japan meanwhile strolled to claim top spot in the other East Asia-Pacific Sub-Regional Qualifier, with Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming's side unbeaten in their trip to South Korea, beating out the hosts, Philippines and Indonesia.

Fourteen teams meanwhile took part in Asia Sub-Regionals across two competitions, with Malaysia and Kuwait prevailing in Qualifier A, alongside UAE and Qatar in Group B.

Having moved back to Sub-Regional action, the Emiratis were unbeaten in their group to reach the regional final, while Qatar were able to brush aside fellow building gulf sides Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Malaysia did enough on home soil to progress even after a defeat to Kuwait, whose Net Run Rate was enough to edge Hong Kong. A meeting between Kuwait and Hong Kong was scuppered by inclement weather.

Both Oman and Papua New Guinea will likely field dramatically different sides at the Qualifier to the teams that competed at the last T20 World Cup, though the Omanis' strong form in ODI cricket via Cricket World Cup League 2 point to an imposing outfit despite the extensive shuffles.

Europe

Regional Final: **July 5 to July 11

**Qualification Spots Available: 2
Teams: Guernsey, Italy, Jersey, Netherlands, Scotland

Squeezing into T20 World Cup 2026 qualification on rankings, Ireland will be relieved to be skipping a tough European pathway for T20 World Cup 2026, where 32 teams put their name into the qualification ring.

Scotland and the Netherlands enter the race at the regional final beginning on July 5, and are joined by the three Sub-Regional winners who prevailed in respective ten-team groups: Italy, Jersey and Guernsey.

The Scots and the Dutch remain favourites to claim the European spots come the regional final, though the three challengers are sure to ask questions.

Italy stormed through their Sub-Regional Qualifier and have a new skipper in former Australian international Joe Burns, who competed for the Azzurri in June upon completing his eligibility period. The side, who would already pose stiff opposition for sides above them on the T20I Rankings, welcome a number of players who qualify to play for the country to bolster their stocks.

Jersey accounted for Norway in the Qualifier B Final to lock in their Regional Final spot, while Guernsey snuck home in a chase of 159 against Denmark for their Regional Final privileges.