U19 Men's Cricket World Cup: Line-up locked in for 2026 edition

By Daniel Beswick

The line-up for the Under 19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026 has been finalised, with USA becoming the 16th and final team to book tickets for Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Led by wicketkeeper-batter Arjun Mahesh, the Americans breezed through the double round-robin Qualifier on home soil in Rydal, Georgia and qualified with a game in hand to be played against Canada on 16 August.

A look at how the U19 World Cup will look next year in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

How the 16 were decided

The top 10 teams from the 2024 edition in South Africa secured automatic qualification for the 2026 event, as well as Full Member hosts Zimbabwe.

The final five spots were decided through regional qualifiers around the world.

Who's in?

Joining Zimbabwe in automatic qualification included Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indies.

Attention then turned to regional qualifying, beginning with Division 2 qualifiers in four of the five regions across the globe, feeding into Division 1 action in 2025.

Africa Qualifier: Tanzania

It was Laksh Bakrania's side to first turn heads in Division 1 qualifying across the world, holding on in a low-scoring thriller against Namibia and beating a strong Kenyan unit to eventually book World Cup tickets in an undefeated campaign.

Tanzania's feat was made more remarkable considering the team had entered the competition at Division 2 level, and it was the skipper, already boasting marked senior international experience, leading the way.

The left-arm spinner claimed 2/17 (10) and made an invaluable 34 with the bat in a staunch defence of 159 against the Namibians in the pivotal victory, finishing with 208 runs and eight wickets across the tournament.

Mohamedi Mbaki and Khalidy Juma also stood out in qualifying, and the side brace for a World Cup campaign on their home continent early next year.

Americas Qualifier: USA

The Americans set the tone with a 65-run win over neighbours Canada, with emphatic victories over Bermuda and Argentina putting them firmly in the driver's seat at the halfway mark of the competition.

The hosts' bowlers dominated in a second win over Bermuda on matchday four, before smashing Argentina by bowling them out for just 34.

Their nine-wicket victory over Argentina lifted them to 10 points, securing an unassailable lead before their final clash against Canada.

At the top of the order, Amrinder Singh Gill has been prolific with the bat with 199 runs in three innings, while spin twins Ansh Rai and Sahir Bhatia turned heads with the ball with seven scalps each so far.

Asia Qualifier: Afghanistan

Only net run rate separated Afghanistan and Nepal at the end of Asia qualification, with their meeting at the end of the round robin tournament washed out.

The Afghans ensured they held the tiebreaker thanks to big wins over Oman, Hong Kong and UAE, with Khalid Ahmadzai head and shoulders above his contemporaries with the bat, making 202 runs at 101 in his three innings.

Quick bowler Nooristani Ormazi is a player to watch in the tournament proper, backed up through the spin of left-armer Ziatullah Shaheen and Hafieezullah Zadran.

East Asia-Pacific Qualifier: Japan

It was an emphatic qualification campaign from Japan on home soil in Sano, untouched against Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the double round robin and showcasing a level of talent that should challenge the world's best next year.

Charlie Hara-Hinze was the standout for the Japanese side, claiming Player of the Tournament honours with 12 wickets and 92 runs across four innings, entrusted to bowl in crucial situations and ticking things along with the bat in the middle overs.

All-rounders Hugo Tani-Kelly and Nihar Parmar continue the spin charge, with Parmar also priming as a key cog at the top of the order.

Nikhil Pol's side will aim for the country's first win at the tournament proper, having gone winless in 2020.

Europe Qualifier: Scotland

It came down to the final day of qualifying in Dundee, and it was the hosts who held their nerve, beating The Netherlands to top the table and book qualification tickets for Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Defending 237, Scotland looked behind in the game with the Dutch well-placed at 108/3, all for Finlay Jones (4/41) and Manu Saraswat (3/43) to pull the match back in the hosts' favour.

Saraswat's effort of 64* (80) and 4/43 (10) against Jersey was another highlight in the campaign, with Rory Grant's 124 (146) against Denmark the highest score of the tournament.

The win means the Scots will appear at the tournament for the seventh time in the last eight cycles.