T20 World Cup 2026: Full List of Qualified Teams for the 10th Edition in India and Sri Lanka

The global cricket ecosystem is gearing up for a high-impact milestone as the T20 World Cup 2026 enters its final preparatory phase. Set to be hosted across India and Sri Lanka in February and March 2026, the tournament will convene 20 qualified nations, reflecting both traditional cricketing strongholds and fast-emerging markets. This edition reinforces the ICC’s longstanding commitment to expanding the sport’s global footprint while ensuring competitive parity at scale.

With qualification now finalised, stakeholders across commercial, broadcast, sporting, and fan-engagement verticals have full visibility into the nations that will compete as India aims to defend its title.

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Historic Qualification Landscape

The qualification journey has been shaped through a multilayered framework involving host nation access, 2024 tournament performance metrics, ICC ranking gateways, and regional pathway tournaments across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia–East Asia Pacific clusters.

Notably, Italy enters its first-ever ICC World Cup, signalling a step-change in European cricket development. Canada, Nepal, UAE, and Oman have also solidified their standing as high-growth markets within the ICC’s long-term expansion roadmap.

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Full List of Qualified Teams – T20 World Cup 2026

No.	Team	Qualification Pathway
1	India	Host
2	Sri Lanka	Host
3	Afghanistan	Top 7 (2024)
4	Australia	Top 7 (2024)
5	Bangladesh	Top 7 (2024)
6	England	Top 7 (2024)
7	South Africa	Top 7 (2024)
8	United States	Top 7 (2024)
9	West Indies	Top 7 (2024)
10	Ireland	ICC Rankings
11	New Zealand	ICC Rankings
12	Pakistan	ICC Rankings
13	Canada	Americas Qualifier
14	Netherlands	Europe Qualifier
15	Italy	Europe Qualifier
16	Zimbabwe	Africa Qualifier
17	Namibia	Africa Qualifier
18	Nepal	Asia/EAP Qualifier
19	Oman	Asia/EAP Qualifier
20	UAE	Asia/EAP Qualifier

Host Nations

• India
• Sri Lanka

Automatic Qualification (Top Seven from T20 World Cup 2024)

• Afghanistan
• Australia
• Bangladesh
• England
• South Africa
• United States
• West Indies

ICC Rankings Pathway (Top 3 not already qualified as of 30 June 2024)

• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Pakistan

Regional Qualifiers

Americas Qualifier

• Canada

Europe Qualifier

• Netherlands
• Italy

Africa Qualifier

• Zimbabwe
• Namibia

Asia/EAP Qualifier

• Nepal
• Oman
• UAE

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A 20-Nation Competitive Grid for 2026

This year’s edition will deploy a robust 20-team format, enabling deeper engagement opportunities, diversified fan acquisition, and broad-spectrum market penetration. Established leaders such as India, England, Australia, and Pakistan anchor the competitive landscape, while new entrants like Italy and rising contenders such as Nepal and Oman infuse renewed energy into the global cricket narrative.

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What This Means for the Sport

The 2026 cycle represents a convergence of legacy, innovation, and expansion. With cricket set to make its Olympic debut at the LA28 Games, the T20 World Cup serves as a strategic runway to showcase the sport’s broadcast potential, fan mobility, and marketability.

The participation of fresh entrants mirrors the ICC’s forward-thinking growth agenda, while established nations continue to drive performance benchmarks and fan loyalty. With India and Sri Lanka delivering a co-hosted environment steeped in cricket tradition, the event is positioned to unlock high-value outcomes across sporting, commercial, and cultural dimensions.

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T20 World Cup 2026 Qualified Teams: India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States, West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nepal, Oman, and UAE.