Zimbabwe and Namibia are the latest qualifiers for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka across February and March
The two nations came through the Africa Qualifier to seal their places in the 20-team tournament proper and there are now just three further spots up for grabs.
Those will go to the top three teams in October’s Asia-Pacific Regional Final in Oman.
Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Samoa and United Arab Emirates the nine sides in the mix for qualification.
Samoa will be able to call upon former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor, who has come out retirement at the age of 41 to play for the country of his mother’s birth.
Former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor will look to help Samoa reach their first T20 World Cup
Who else will play in the tournament proper?
India – who won the 2024 edition, beating South Africa in the final – and Sri Lanka qualified directly as hosts.
England, Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, USA and West Indies earned their places via their performances at the previous T20 World Cup in America and the Caribbean in 2024.
Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland qualified through their T20 international rankings.
Canada progressed through the Americas Qualifier, while Netherlands and Italy were the two teams to advance from the European section.
Italy – who will now play in their maiden T20 World Cup – pipped Jersey on net run-rate, denying the Channel Islanders their first appearance in the main tournament.
Scotland and Guernsey also competed in the European Qualifier.
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Highlights of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final as India fought back with the ball to beat South Africa by seven runs in a Barbados thriller
What is the format for the T20 World Cup?
At the T20 World Cup, the 20 nations will initially be split into four groups of five.
Sides will play the others in their pool once each in a round-robin format with the top two advancing to the Super 8 stage
The Super 8s will then feature two pools of four with the top two after another round robin making the semi-finals.
2026 Men’s T20 World Cup – full list of qualifiers so far
- India (qualified as hosts)
- Sri Lanka (qualified as hosts)
- England (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- Afghanistan (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- Australia (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- Bangladesh (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- South Africa (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- USA (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- West Indies (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
- Ireland (qualified via T20I rankings)
- New Zealand (qualified via T20I rankings)
- Pakistan (qualified via T20I rankings)
- Italy (came through Europe Qualifier)
- Netherlands (came through Europe Qualifier)
- Canada (came through Americas Qualifier)
- Namibia (came through Africa Qualifier)
- Zimbabwe (came through Africa Qualifier)
- TBC (came through Asia-Pacific Regional Final)
- TBC (came through Asia-Pacific Regional Final)
- TBC (came through Asia-Pacific Regional Final)
